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A 75-year-old woman developed a persistent dry cough. Imaging in July 2023 found a right upper-lung mass, right hilar lymph-node enlargement and abnormal areas in the left lung. Biopsies from both lungs confirmed adenocarcinoma. Brain MRI also found a metastasis in the right parietal lobe, establishing Stage IV disease.
Tumor testing identified the rare EGFR L833V and H835L mutations. PD-L1 expression was 50%, and CDK4 and MDM2 amplifications were also reported. Because systemic treatment was expected to address both the lung and brain disease, she started osimertinib rather than local brain radiation.
The initial osimertinib dose caused diarrhea and rash, so it was reduced. After 3 months, PET imaging showed a clear response: the right upper-lung lesion was smaller and the right hilar lymph-node enlargement had completely resolved. Repeat brain MRIs showed that the brain metastasis remained stable. A chest X-ray in May 2024 showed continued improvement in the lung lesion.
She remained on osimertinib with an ongoing response to treatment.
This is a lay summary of an account first published by PMC / PubMed Central. Read the original in full
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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