Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Ginger's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Subtype
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Biomarkers
- EGFR mutation
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- chemotherapy, targeted therapy and a clinical trial
- Outcome
- In Memory
Treatment course, step by step
- Initial chemotherapy did not stop the cancer.
- Erlotinib (Tarceva) produced an almost complete response before the cancer progressed.
- Ginger then moved through additional chemotherapy and several clinical trials, including osimertinib (Tagrisso), which controlled the cancer for 2 years.
- After later progression, she joined a trial of osimertinib plus necitumumab.
What happened, in summary
Ginger Tam sought care for a persistent cough and learned that she had Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. The diagnosis was devastating for the single mother, whose daughter was 8 at the time. She sought a second opinion at a research hospital and became closely involved in finding treatment options.
Initial chemotherapy did not stop the cancer. Erlotinib (Tarceva), an EGFR-targeted therapy, then produced an almost complete response, but the cancer later progressed. Ginger joined a clinical trial aimed at the EGFR change driving resistance, followed by more chemotherapy and another period on erlotinib.
A later clinical trial of osimertinib (Tagrisso) controlled her cancer for 2 years with few side effects, allowing her to exercise, care for her daughter, and travel. When the cancer progressed again, she tried another trial and later entered a study combining osimertinib with necitumumab.
Ginger credited clinical trials, self-advocacy, faith, and her daughter with helping her keep going. She lived more than 5 years after her metastatic diagnosis. Ginger died on February 10, 2018.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by AACR. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
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