What happened, in summary

Samantha Vaughn first noticed breathlessness and hoarseness after having COVID in 2022. For about 6 months, the symptoms were treated as long COVID, sinus problems, or infection, with inhalers, steroids, and antibiotics that did not help. In May 2023, she asked her doctor for an X-ray and an ENT referral because she felt something was wrong. The X-ray showed a lesion on her right lung. When she did not hear back for the planned CT scan, she paid privately for one. That scan showed the lesion was actually a tumor. A biopsy could not be done safely because a major artery crossed the area, so doctors recommended surgery both to remove the tumor and obtain the diagnosis. Samantha had the upper and middle right lung lobes removed, along with nearby lymph nodes and 1 airway. After the operation, pathology showed Stage II, grade 3 lung cancer with an EGFR mutation. She was told chemotherapy and radiation were not needed because the cancer had been removed. Instead, she entered a post-operative clinical trial and started daily Tagrisso tablets within 7 weeks of surgery. Side effects included mouth ulcers, fatigue, stomach upset, brain fog, joint pain, and dose reduction. As of June 2025, her scans were clear so far, but she remained on active targeted therapy planned for 3 years.