Stage II EGFR Lung Cancer: Samantha's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage II
- Biomarkers
- EGFR mutation
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery, targeted therapy and a clinical trial
- Outcome
- Care Ongoing
Treatment course, step by step
- X-ray and private CT showed a right-lung tumor
- Biopsy could not be done safely before surgery because a major artery crossed the area
- Surgery removed the upper and middle right lung lobes, nearby lymph nodes, and 1 airway
- Pathology after surgery showed Stage II grade 3 lung cancer with an EGFR mutation
- Chemotherapy and radiation were not given because the visible cancer had been removed and there was nothing to target
- Started a post-operative clinical trial with daily Tagrisso tablets within 7 weeks of surgery, planned for 3 years
- Dose was reduced because of side effects
- Monitoring included blood tests every 3-4 months and scans about every 6 months; results were clear so far.
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.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by The Patient Story. 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.