What happened, in summary

Lenny was diagnosed with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer in November 2019. He had never smoked. His first warning signs were a change in his walking, pain in his right leg, and later coughing and wheezing that felt different from his usual mild asthma.

Testing found 2 walnut-sized tumors in his left lung that were not operable. Scans also showed a tumor in his right femur, which explained the leg pain, and an MRI found a lesion in the cerebellum of his brain. His team moved quickly. He had a 4-hour surgery to remove the femur tumor and place a 15-inch metal rod to protect the bone. He then had CyberKnife radiation to the brain lesion.

Lenny’s systemic treatment combined Keytruda/pembrolizumab with Alimta and carboplatin. His biomarker testing showed PD-L1 expression, which supported the use of Keytruda. Chemotherapy was later stopped because of side effects, and he continued Keytruda alone for about 3.5 years. Treatment was eventually stopped after liver and kidney enzyme problems.

After about 2.5 years on treatment, his doctor told him there were no measurable tumors. As of July 2024, Lenny described himself as having no evidence of disease and now mentors other people with cancer.