Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Ruchira's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Ruchira had little reason to suspect lung cancer. She was young, healthy, a nonsmoker, and her cough was mild and intermittent. Her father first noticed it, but she ignored it for nearly a year. After she tested positive for COVID, a chest X-ray led to a CT scan that found a 3.5 cm mass in her left lower lobe. The workup was slow, with months passing before PET scan, bronchoscopy, and biopsy. She was first diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer in Vancouver and had a lobectomy to remove the tumor. The surgery had clear margins, but the cough quickly returned. She later developed low-grade fevers, nonstop coughing, and blood in her sputum. Repeat bronchoscopy showed her left lung had collapsed and would not stay inflated, and doctors found another tumor. A PET scan showed the cancer had progressed to Stage IV. Biomarker testing on her tumor found ALK-positive lung cancer, which made her eligible for targeted therapy. Ruchira started lorlatinib, taken as 1 pill a day. Her symptoms improved within 1 week, and after 3 months she was told there was no evidence of disease. As of January 2026, she remained on targeted therapy, was rebuilding her life after cancer, and had become an advocate for lung cancer education and patient stories.