BRCA1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Nadine's Survivor Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Subtype
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Biomarkers
- Germline BRCA1 mutation for hereditary breast/ovarian cancer risk; lung cancer biomarker not reported
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery, targeted therapy, surveillance, genetic testing and risk reducing surgery
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- 1997 left lower lobectomy removed an 8 cm tumor from the lower left lung
- 1999 right-lung recurrence with 3 tumors under 1 cm was monitored by CT scans every 6 months for 7 years
- 2005 BRCA1 genetic result led to double mastectomy and hysterectomy to lower breast and ovarian cancer risk
- 2007 daily Tarceva continued for 9 years
- April 2016 CT showed right-lung tumors had grown to 8 cm and involved the upper and middle lobes
- 2016 right bilobectomy removed 2 cancerous lobes
- CT scans continued every 3 to 6 months for the next 2 years.
What happened, in summary
Nadine Beech was 27, healthy and a non-smoker when she was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 1997. After she started spitting up blood following a water-skiing accident, the problem was first treated as a bruised lung. Several doctors later, an 8 cm tumor was found in the lower lobe of her left lung. Nadine had a lobectomy to remove that cancerous lobe and returned to intense fitness within 6 weeks. In 1999, a routine CT scan showed the lung cancer had returned in her right lung. At MD Anderson, doctors found 3 right-lung tumors, each under 1 cm. Because the tumors were growing slowly and a drug option was expected soon, her team chose surveillance. Nadine had CT scans every 6 months for 7 years. In 2005, genetic testing showed a germline BRCA1 mutation, so she had a double mastectomy and hysterectomy to reduce breast and ovarian cancer risk. In 2007, she began daily Tarceva and stayed on it for 9 years despite diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and acne. In April 2016, a cough led to an early CT scan that showed the right-lung tumors had grown to 8 cm and involved the upper and middle lobes. She had a right bilobectomy in 2016. As of November 2016, Nadine was cancer-free and planned CT surveillance every 3 to 6 months.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. Read the original in full
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.