Stage IV Lung Cancer: Carla's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Carla lived with lung cancer that repeatedly developed resistance to treatment. For long periods, her symptoms were limited mainly to coughing and manageable fatigue. In January 2015, while taking third-line afatinib, she married Bud and moved to Manila to begin their life together and continue her career. As one treatment stopped working, her family helped find the next medication or clinical trial and sometimes arranged access to drugs that were not available locally.

The illness became more urgent when Carla had a seizure and scans found a mass in her brain. She received brain radiation and was initially well enough to return home. Three months later, the mass had grown substantially, and fluid occupied much of the affected lung, causing breathlessness and painful drainage procedures. Her family feared they were losing her, but Carla survived the crisis and again returned to a more stable routine.

At the latest update, Carla was on her eighth line of treatment, stable, and experiencing no new symptoms. She remained active enough to attend LUNGevity’s National HOPE Summit in 2017. Throughout the repeated changes in treatment, her practical optimism, marriage, work, family support, and faith helped her continue living day by day.