What happened, in summary

A 58-year-old man was diagnosed in 2019 with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer after evaluation of a painless neck mass. Imaging showed a dominant lung mass, multiple nodules in both lungs and metastatic cervical lymph nodes, while brain imaging was negative.

He received four cycles of carboplatin, etoposide and atezolizumab, followed by maintenance atezolizumab. The tumors initially shrank, and he also received radiation to disease in the chest and neck. When scans showed progression later in 2020, he was rechallenged with six more cycles of carboplatin, etoposide and atezolizumab. Imaging in 2021 showed complete resolution or reduction of most metastatic lung nodules and resolution of mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

He then resumed maintenance atezolizumab. Although treatment was briefly interrupted for liver inflammation, he restarted it and continued regular surveillance. Five years after diagnosis, at age 63, he was alive, working with only minor accommodations, and had no further documented progression. He had reached 60 months overall survival and about 44 months progression-free survival.