Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Amy's Patient Story
This lung cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Subtype
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Sex
- Female
- Spread to
- Neck lymph node; bones — hips, femurs, foot; adrenal gland
- Treatment
- immunotherapy, radiation and local therapy
- Outcome
- Living With Cancer
Treatment course, step by step
- Neck lymph node appeared 2 weeks after a flu shot
- CT neck found a right-lung lesion
- Biopsy of the neck lymph node confirmed cancer on her birthday
- PET scan showed Stage IV disease
- Treatment at University of Pennsylvania included Keytruda, which did not work
- Later treatment included radiation to hips, thigh bones, and foot
- Also received SBRT radiation to the lung nodule and freezing treatment of the adrenal gland
- Generic name for Keytruda is not stated in the source.
What happened, in summary
Amy was diagnosed with Stage IV squamous non-small cell lung cancer on her birthday. About 2 weeks after a flu shot, a lymph node appeared in her neck. At first, she thought it might be a vaccine reaction or infection, but after another 2 weeks she saw her primary care doctor. Bloodwork showed only a slightly elevated calcium level, but a CT scan of her neck caught a lesion in her right lung. A CT-guided biopsy of the neck lymph node confirmed cancer, and a PET scan showed Stage IV disease. Her treatments at the University of Pennsylvania included Keytruda, which did not work for her. She also had radiation to her hips, femurs, and foot, stereotactic body radiation therapy, or SBRT, to the lung nodule, and cryoablation on her adrenal gland. Keytruda was named in her story, but pembrolizumab was not stated. Amy found support through online groups, family, and Lung Cancer Research Foundation materials and webinars. Five years after diagnosis, she was still living with Stage IV lung cancer, using education and accurate information to help herself and others ask better questions and keep hope alive.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by Lung Cancer Research Foundation. Read the original in full
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.