What happened, in summary

Ashley had no symptoms when lung cancer was found by chance. She went to the hospital for a gynecologic issue, and CT imaging showed lung nodules. Pathology was sent to Mayo Clinic, and about 1 week later she learned it was non-small cell lung cancer. Both lungs had numerous nodules, but she was told it was not anywhere else in her body. Because there were so many nodules in both lungs, surgery would not help; she was inoperable from the start. Her oncologist ordered biomarker testing and walked her through possible treatment paths. The result showed an EGFR T790M mutation, which made daily oral targeted therapy possible. Ashley started Tagrisso, taken by mouth once a day. She remembers feeling grateful that the treatment could target the mutation and let her avoid infusion chemotherapy at that point. Side effects still affected daily life. Early on, she felt heavy and worn down, developed a skin rash that later improved, and had GI flares, nausea or upset stomach, and overwhelming fatigue. Hydration became important, especially before labs. As of March 2024, Ashley had been on the same drug for 43 months, with bloodwork every 2 months and CT scans every 4 months showing stable disease. She described the cancer as a chronic disease and looked to lung-cancer support groups for hope.