Stage III Lung Cancer: Bonnie's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage III
- Biomarkers
- CA-125 elevated during 2019 workup; no lung cancer driver biomarker reported
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery and treatment not specified
- Outcome
- Setback / Progression
Treatment course, step by step
- Initial Stage I lung cancer was treated with surgery only
- Remission followed, with yearly scans
- In 2019, coughing and shortness of breath led to chest X-ray, CT scan, CA-125 blood test, and bronchial biopsy
- Diagnosis changed to Stage III lung cancer
- Later treatment regimen is not specified in the available extracted text.
What happened, in summary
Bonnie Ulrich was 45 when pain shooting down her arm led her to see her doctor. Because she had a smoking history, her doctor routinely ordered chest X-rays, and this time the imaging showed something concerning. After 2 scans and a biopsy, Bonnie learned she had Stage I lung cancer. The cancer was early enough for surgery only, and after the operation she was considered in remission. She continued yearly scans and felt well for 13 years. In 2019, she developed coughing and shortness of breath. A chest X-ray did not show anything, and a January CT scan also did not reveal the answer, but blood work showed an elevated CA-125. A bronchial biopsy then led to a new diagnosis that Bonnie heard as Stage III lung cancer. Her later treatment is not described in detail. Bonnie found community through Heidi Nafman Onda and The White Ribbon Project, which helped her move from isolation into advocacy. As of June 2026, her story focused on recurrence, lung cancer stigma, early detection, and building support for others.
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.