Stage III ROS1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Wendy's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Wendy’s lung cancer was found after she pushed for imaging that her doctor initially thought was unnecessary. Months earlier, she had noticed odd sensations in her lungs when she laughed, but reflux was suspected. A benign breast lump later scared her enough to ask for a chest X-ray. The same day her father died, the X-ray led to a call telling her to return because the finding could be pneumonia or a tumor. CT and PET scans followed, and Wendy was diagnosed with Stage III lung cancer on September 8, 2016. Biomarker testing showed ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer, a rare subtype. Her oncology team told her the disease was treatable and potentially curable, which helped her begin treatment with hope. She started chemotherapy and radiation on the same day, receiving cisplatin and pemetrexed while also undergoing aggressive radiation. Chemo-radiation ended on November 9, 2016. She then had surgery on December 1 and an optional post-surgery radiation treatment on January 18, 2017. Wendy stayed physically active through treatment, continued walking and working out, and did not lose her hair or feel very sick. Years later, she remained involved with lung cancer research fundraising and advocacy, emphasizing that survival statistics do not define an individual patient.