EGFR Lung Cancer Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Biomarkers
- T790M-negative blood test; EGFR/TKI treatment context
- Sex
- Male
- Treatment
- targeted therapy and advance care planning
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- 19 April oncology visit confirmed blood sample was T790M-negative, so the patient could not enter the AZD9291/osimertinib clinical trial
- continued afatinib/Giotrif despite doubts after an underwhelming recent CT
- radiotherapy or adding cetuximab to Giotrif were discussed as possible alternatives but not started
- next symptom-control visit planned for 6 May and next CT expected in June
- patient planned to file advance instructions/living-will paperwork.
What happened, in summary
This Noxte entry followed a disappointing oncology update on 19 April. The patient learned that the blood sample sent to the laboratory was negative for T790M resistance, so he could not enter the AZD9291/osimertinib clinical trial. He found that frustrating because new conference data suggested osimertinib could help some EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer patients even without T790M, but the trial rules were strict. For the moment, he continued afatinib/Giotrif, although he had doubts after a recent CT that was not very encouraging. Other options were discussed, including radiotherapy or adding cetuximab to Giotrif, but those choices would likely bring more side effects, and he did not feel physically or emotionally ready for them. His next symptom-control visit was scheduled for 6 May, while the next CT would wait until June. The post also turned toward values and limits. As of 21 April 2016, he was still receiving targeted therapy, but he was also thinking seriously about how far he wanted treatment to go. He planned to file advance instructions so doctors would know which measures he would and would not want if his condition worsened.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Noxte (Blog Cáncer de Pulmón). 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.