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.