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Six years after Joanne Sabol was diagnosed with lung cancer, she faced a second primary cancer when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent 2 lumpectomies and was recovering well after the breast surgeries.
Her breast cancer experience occurred during a much longer cancer journey. While she was recovering, a PET scan revealed that her earlier lung cancer had returned and spread to her abdomen. From that point, the story focused on treatment for the recurrent lung cancer, including pembrolizumab immunotherapy.
Joanne continued to move forward through both diagnoses with support from her family, faith, and sense of humor. She remained active in her job and with her 10 grandchildren and found meaning in helping other families affected by cancer.
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Memorial Sloan Kettering. Read the original in full
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These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer