What happened, in summary

Maggie was 60 in 2021 and expected the year to be one of the best of her life. Instead, unusual symptoms led to a Stage IV lung cancer diagnosis. She first had an ocular migraine, then leg pain that turned out to be a partial blood clot. A CT scan showed concerning findings, and biopsy confirmed non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma. A brain MRI found metastases in her brain, even though she had never had lung symptoms. At first, Maggie assumed Stage IV cancer meant chemotherapy, hair loss, and very little time. Her oncologist changed that path by ordering a blood biopsy. The test found an EGFR mutation, allowing her to start a daily targeted therapy pill in October 2021 instead of initial chemotherapy. By December, scans showed no evidence of disease in her brain or lungs. After 9 months, cancer grew in the upper right lobe, and she had SBRT. In spring 2023, scans showed more progression and a MET amplification resistance mutation. A phase 2 clinical trial for EGFR patients with MET amplification worked for about 9 months, then the cancer progressed again. She had more SBRT, then chemotherapy after summer 2024 progression. January 2025 scans showed progression again, and further testing found MET overexpression. As of February 2026, Maggie had started a 5th line of treatment targeting both EGFR and MET changes.