ROS1-Positive Stage III Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma With Complete Pathologic Response
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage III
- Biomarkers
- ROS1 rearrangement; TP53 mutation; PD-L1 TPS 0%
- Sex
- male
- Treatment
- targeted therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery
- Outcome
- Cancer-Free / NED
Treatment course, step by step
- Started crizotinib for ROS1-positive disease, but the tumor progressed.
- Received 2 cycles of tislelizumab with albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin, producing a partial response.
- Underwent left lower lobectomy with systematic lymph-node dissection and had no residual cancer in the surgical specimen.
- Received 2 additional cycles of immunotherapy plus platinum-based chemotherapy after surgery.
What happened, in summary
A 62-year-old man developed a persistent dry cough and was found in July 2021 to have a very large tumor in the left lower lung. Biopsy showed a malignant spindle-cell tumor consistent with pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma, and the cancer was Stage III. Molecular testing found a ROS1 rearrangement and a TP53 mutation.
He started crizotinib because of the ROS1 alteration, but the tumor continued to grow and chest pain became severe. By November 2021 the mass had enlarged and invaded the pleura. PD-L1 expression was 0%.
He then received 2 cycles of tislelizumab combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin. Imaging showed a partial response and his chest pain improved. In February 2022 he underwent left lower lobectomy with systematic lymph-node dissection. Pathology found extensive treatment effect but no residual cancer, representing a complete pathologic response.
He received 2 more cycles of immunotherapy plus platinum-based chemotherapy after surgery. During follow-up, no recurrence was detected for more than 30 months.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by PMC / PubMed Central. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
Collections this story belongs to
- Stage 3 Lung Cancer 77 stories
- ROS1 Positive Lung Cancer 15 stories
- Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer 386 stories
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. Read the full disclaimer