Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Elizabeth's Patient Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth Moir, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver; bones

Elizabeth passed away on August 27, 2021 at age 32 from complications of Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer, after earlier achieving a July 2019 scan with no evidence of disease on oral targeted therapy.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Linnea's Patient Story

Patient Info: Linnea Olson, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-rearranged lung cancer

Metastatic Site: Lungs / intrapulmonary disease

Living long term with Stage IV ALK-positive NSCLC; ALK-targeted clinical trials controlled disease for years but were described as disease control rather than cure.

Massachusetts General HospitalRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jay's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jay Petri, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-rearranged lung cancer

Metastatic Site: Not reported

Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer treated through clinical trials at Mass General; he reported being cancer-free for nearly 1.5 years after going through 3 trials.

Massachusetts General HospitalRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Duane's Patient Story

Patient Info: Duane Steiner, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK gene mutation identified by molecular or genomic testing

Living more than 6 years with incurable Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer, supported by targeted therapy, clinical-trial participation, Hope Lodge access, and periodic monitoring.

Stage III ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle Bos-Lun, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Stage IIIB ALK-positive lung cancer responding to Lorbrena/lorlatinib, with cough improvement within days and first scan showing nearly 50% tumor reduction.

GO2 FoundationRead more →

EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Donna's Patient Story

Patient Info: Donna Thompson, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive lung cancer reported during recurrence; initial tumor biomarker status not reported

Recurrent NSCLC after earlier Stage II surgery and limited chemotherapy; later EGFR-targeted therapy caused kidney failure, 2 new spots were radiated in July 2025, and new nodules are under watchful monitoring.

GO2 FoundationRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Duncan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Duncan Edmonstone, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK+ mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

Living 6 years after Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer with brain metastasis, doing well on ongoing alectinib targeted therapy with minimal side effects.

The Christie NHSRead more →

Stage 4 lung cancer survivor: A shift in perspective helped me find gratitude

Patient Info: Lorie Young | Stage IV

A few months after diagnosis, she remains on targeted therapy through a clinical trial and describes fatigue and brain fog as manageable.

MD AndersonRead more →

More than 5 years living with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma after stepwise molecular testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2 amplification, EGFR L858R mutation, PD-L1 <1%

Metastatic Site: brain, lung

As of April 2026, she remained on gefitinib with no active tumor lesions after complete regression of lung metastases, more than 5 years (66 months) after her original diagnosis.

PubMed CentralRead more →

EGFR-mutated Stage IV squamous lung cancer treated with osimertinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; PD-L1 TPS 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura, bone

Osimertinib produced an early partial response, but new vertebral bone metastases appeared after 12 weeks. He declined cytotoxic chemotherapy and continued osimertinib.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Lorie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lorie Young | Stage IV

Biomarkers: NTRK1 fusion

After a couple of months on TL-118, Lorie’s CT scan showed a strong response, while longer-term disease control remained uncertain.

MD AndersonRead more →

MET-Positive Lung Cancer Found After Eye Pain and Forehead Swelling

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

Metastatic Site: Right orbit; frontal skull/bone; left iliac bone

After 2 months of tepotinib, the primary lung lesion decreased from about 53 × 33 mm to 36 × 24 mm, metastatic sites were stable and the patient continued treatment without significant adverse events.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Meckstroth, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive driver mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

More than 6 years after an initial prognosis of about 6 months, Jeff was alive, preparing to retire and continuing biomarker-guided care; the brain metastases had disappeared within a few months of the therapy change.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive

Metastatic Site: spine; hips; lymph nodes; liver

Anne maintained a good quality of life for about 1 year on an oral EGFR-targeted medicine and later entered a clinical trial while continuing lung-cancer advocacy.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma discovered after recurrent pulmonary embolism

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone

At 1-month follow-up, he remained on alectinib, tumor markers were declining, and pulmonary embolism had not recurred.

PubMed CentralRead more →

RET-positive Stage IV lung cancer: targeted therapy stopped after severe side effects

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: RET fusion

Metastatic Site: brain|bone

Selpercatinib produced early shrinkage of the lung tumor and brain metastases, but it was permanently discontinued because of recurrent severe side effects. She was transferred for supportive care.

PubMed CentralRead more →

HER2-mutated lung cancer: restarting targeted therapy after lung inflammation

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2 exon 20 insertion; PD-L1 negative

Metastatic Site: brain

Trastuzumab deruxtecan was restarted successfully after lung inflammation improved, but it was discontinued after 9 cycles when the cancer progressed.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Rosee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rosee, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; specific variant not reported

Metastatic Site: brain

Within weeks of starting osimertinib, Rosee’s tumors shrank significantly, migraines and vertigo resolved, and hearing began to return; she remained on treatment and active in advocacy.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Stage IVA EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma: clonal evolution, chemoimmunotherapy response, osimertinib rechallenge, and death after progression

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Markers changed over time: started with EGFR L747S/L858R; later MET-amplified, PD-L1 TPS 80%, high TMB clone; later EGFR reappeared.

Metastatic Site: pleura, peritoneal nodule, retroperitoneal lymph nodes

The patient died on 30 April 2025 after progression through multiple lines and infection related to treatment-associated myelosuppression.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Long-term complete response to targeted therapy for relapsed lung cancer with an EGFR mutation

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Her three most recent scans showed a complete response, and nearly 4 years after relapse she remained free of tumor progression while continuing targeted therapy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Shannon's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Shannon, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; TP53 mutation

Metastatic Site: cervical spine (C1/C2 and C4/C6), liver

As of June 2026, Shannon described no evidence of active disease: visible tumors were gone, the original lung mass had decreased from 10.8 cm to a 3.8 cm cavity, and targeted therapy continued to suppress possible remaining cells.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: multi-line treatment complicated by glucocorticoid-refractory immune-related cystitis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

Biomarkers: No molecular biomarkers reported for SCLC. Bladder biopsy during cystitis showed mostly CD3/CD8-positive T-cell inflammation.

As of December 2025, the cancer had progressed through multiple systemic lines, new brain metastasis had appeared, and care had shifted to palliative symptomatic treatment; immune-related cystitis had resolved after prednisone plus mycophenolate mofetil.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: high-dose furmonertinib after CNS progression

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial EGFR L858R mutation. Later blood testing showed EGFR p.S553Y variation; CEA rose and fell with treatment.

Metastatic Site: brain/meninges; bilateral pleura/lungs; mediastinal…

As of June-September 2024, the left lung lesion was stable to slightly smaller on escalated furmonertinib, but brain/CNS lesions had progressed and required dose escalation to 240 mg/day; later imaging was declined.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Nancee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nancee Pronsati, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive; ALK fusion/rearrangement

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung nodules, brain

As of May 2026, Nancee had lived about 10 years with metastatic ALK-positive lung cancer, including brain progression, and continued long-term targeted therapy with quality of life as a major goal.

The Patient StoryRead more →