What happened, in summary

Tomma Hargraves noticed a small bump on the left side of her neck in October 2006. A biopsy led to a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer, and scans showed a tumor in the upper right lung with extensive lymph-node involvement. She was diagnosed with Stage III disease and chose a clinical trial at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The trial used an aggressive sequence of treatment. Tomma first received high-dose chemotherapy, followed by 7 weeks of higher-dose radiation with lower-dose chemotherapy. She then took the targeted therapy erlotinib, also known as Tarceva, for several months. The full course lasted about 9 months. Radiation caused burns, esophagitis that prevented her from eating for 3 weeks, and lasting lung damage. At the end of treatment, her oncologist told her the cancer was gone.

Three years later, the cancer relapsed in lymph nodes and her brain, making this a Stage IV recurrence. Chemotherapy and radiation brought the relapse under control, and she had no further cancer treatment afterward. Tomma continued annual lung-cancer follow-up and became a patient lay navigator, helping newly diagnosed patients understand treatment and clinical trials. The AACR later reported that Tomma died on September 7, 2023, after years of survivorship and advocacy.