Stage III Lung Cancer: Alexis's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Alexis was 29 and living in San Francisco when a possible heart issue led to the discovery of lung cancer. She had noticed shortness of breath and chest discomfort but thought anxiety might explain it. Because her father had been misdiagnosed with a genetic heart condition, she asked to be checked. An echocardiogram showed an abnormality, and a follow-up CT scan revealed enlarged lymph nodes in her chest and a spot on her lung. A pulmonologist recommended biopsy. When Alexis woke up, she was told it looked like cancer. Further workup showed a lung carcinoid, which she described as neuroendocrine cancer, with lymph node involvement. Her diagnosis was Stage III. Surgery was the main treatment because these tumors are often less responsive to chemotherapy. Doctors discussed a pill chemotherapy option before surgery to see if her left lung could be spared, but the chance of enough shrinkage was limited, so Alexis chose surgery first. Because the tumor was central and lymph nodes were involved, surgeons removed her entire left lung. Pathology fell near the border between typical and atypical carcinoid, so she was offered additional treatment. She chose 4 months of pill chemotherapy, taken 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off, instead of IV chemotherapy. Follow-up scans during and 3 months after chemotherapy were clear. As of June 2025, Alexis was no evidence of disease and continuing long-term surveillance.