EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Joanne's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Subtype
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Biomarkers
- EGFR exon deletion 19 mutation
- Sex
- Female
- Spread to
- Lymph node involvement reported; no distant metastatic sites reported
- Treatment
- surgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapy
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- February 2021 CT scan for another concern incidentally found a right upper-lung mass
- First treatment was robotic surgery to remove the right upper lung lobe
- Pathology showed lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR exon 19 mutation, spread to 1 lymph node, and growth into the lung lining
- Second treatment phase was 4 rounds of platinum chemotherapy plus Alimta, as written in the source
- Third phase was daily Tagrisso for up to 3 years.
What happened, in summary
Joanne’s lung cancer was found by chance in February 2021. She had gone to the emergency room because of what seemed like an abdominal hernia or aneurysm, and an angio CT scan instead showed a mass in the upper lobe of her right lung. She had not had classic lung cancer symptoms; she mainly felt unwell and unusually tired. After consultations and testing, her team chose robotic-assisted surgery to remove the right upper lobe. Pathology showed non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, with an EGFR exon deletion 19 mutation. The cancer had also spread to a lymph node and invaded the visceral pleura. A formal stage was not stated. Joanne’s next treatment phase was 4 rounds of chemotherapy, described as cisplatin/carboplatin and Alimta. The third phase was targeted therapy with Tagrisso, taken daily for up to 3 years. Joanne used the experience to speak against lung cancer stigma, especially the assumption that every lung cancer diagnosis is explained by smoking history, and focused her energy on family, faith, education, and advocacy.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Lung Cancer Research Foundation. 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.