Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma: complete response on immunotherapy combination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No targetable mutation found. Tissue showed TP53/ARID1A; liquid biopsy added KEAP1, and SMARCA4. PD-L1 not evaluable.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung nodules, left adrenal gland

As of May 2024, metastatic lung adenocarcinoma had a complete radiologic response lasting more than 14 months on pembrolizumab maintenance, and a new PET-avid lung nodule was benign inflammation rather than cancer.

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Small cell lung cancer with SIADH that progressed after an initial response to treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer progressed with disseminated liver metastases, and she died from liver failure in February 2021.

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Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma: brain surgery followed by immunotherapy response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1-positive; EGFR wild-type/no mutation; ALK rearrangement not detected; TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-positive

Metastatic Site: brain

As of March 2024, after 31 cycles of zimberelimab, the lung lesion had shown partial response, brain metastasis had not recurred, and the patient had 24-month progression-free and intracranial recurrence-free survival with normal quality of life.

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Stage 4 lung cancer stable on durvalumab immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain, pancreas, liver

Stage IV small cell lung cancer remained stable after durvalumab, platinum chemotherapy, radiation, and 1 year of durvalumab monotherapy; severe right sternoclavicular joint arthritis resolved after infliximab, and immunotherapy was suspended for 1 year.

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MSI-High Metastatic Hormone-Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Responding to Pembrolizumab

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; MSI-high; BRCA mutation-negative

Metastatic Site: bone, para-aortic lymph nodes, brain

Pembrolizumab produced marked improvement in metastatic bone and nodal disease. After 1 year it was stopped because of appetite loss; 8 months later she was symptom-free and back at work on endocrine therapy, although asymptomatic brain metastases were documented.

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Eye complication (corneal irritation) as a rare side effect of nivolumab immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

One year after nivolumab was stopped, there was no progression of the lung cancer or secondary lesions, and she remained under surveillance.

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Stage III squamous lung cancer complicated by a fatal postoperative bronchopleural fistula

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 40s | Stage III

He developed a postoperative bronchopleural fistula with pulmonary infection and worsening respiratory failure, and died on December 2, 2020.

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Stage III squamous lung cancer with a postoperative bronchopleural fistula successfully repaired

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 50s | Stage III

After bronchoscopic repair of a postoperative bronchopleural fistula, he was followed for more than 1 year with CT every 3 months and no lung-cancer recurrence.

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Stage III squamous lung cancer with a postoperative bronchopleural fistula that resolved with treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s | Stage III

The postoperative bronchopleural fistula resolved after anti-infective treatment, and serial CT scans showed no lung-cancer recurrence during ongoing follow-up.

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Stage III lung adenocarcinoma with a postoperative bronchopleural fistula and no recurrence

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: EGFR, ALK, KRAS, RET and ROS1 negative

After treatment of a postoperative bronchopleural fistula, she was followed for more than 1 year with CT every 3 months and no lung-cancer recurrence.

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Elsa Lankford

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Biomarker testing completed; results not reported

She remained in treatment for Stage IV colon cancer and had entered immunotherapy trial NCT05572684; reported side effects included skin rashes and increased anxiety.

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BRAF V600E lung adenocarcinoma with a response lasting more than 5 years on dabrafenib and trametinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF ; PD-L1 TPS 100%

Metastatic Site: pleura

More than 5 years after her initial presentation, dabrafenib plus trametinib remained effective with no trend toward tumor progression.

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SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated lung cancer with pleural disease and later spinal metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRCA1 p.S1796 variant; TP53 p.; tumor mutational burden 12.6

Metastatic Site: spine

After chemotherapy and one cycle of nivolumab, a new 4.5 cm spinal metastasis caused cord compression and required surgery; further outpatient treatment was planned.

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Stage IV BRAF-mutated lung adenocarcinoma responding to second-line chemo-immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF exon 15 p.T599dup; PD-L1 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura, pericardium

After progression on BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy, second-line chemo-immunotherapy produced a partial response that was still ongoing after about 1 year of second-line treatment.

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Ovarian Cancer Spreads to the Breast During Platinum-Resistant Recurrence

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRCA1/2-negative; HRD-positive; PD-L1-positive; folate receptor alpha-positive

Metastatic Site: right breast, right axillary lymph nodes, cervical…

She remained alive with stable disease about 2 years after the breast metastasis was diagnosed while receiving seventh-line mirvetuximab-soravtansine.

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Stage IV Ovarian Cancer: Susan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Susan Dunwoody, female | Stage IV

Susan lived for 7 years after her Stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis and later died from the disease.

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MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Stephanie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Stephanie Dobson, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: MSI-high; Lynch syndrome

The rectal tumor was shrinking on immunotherapy and early treatment-related fatigue was improving.

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Stage II lung adenocarcinoma with severe atezolizumab-related myocarditis after surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage II

Biomarkers: PD-L1 TPS 50%

More than 1 year after atezolizumab was discontinued, there was no recurrence of the lung cancer.

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Metastatic gastric cancer with Krukenberg tumors complicated by emergency bleeding

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bilateral ovaries/adnexa (Krukenberg tumors)

She recovered well from emergency surgery for bleeding from a torsed Krukenberg tumor and was attending regular oncology follow-up 6 months later.

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Metastatic lung cancer responding to pembrolizumab despite multiple immune-related side effects

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland

Later PET/CT showed no FDG uptake in the primary lung lesion or the right adrenal metastasis after pembrolizumab had been stopped for toxicity.

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Stage III squamous lung cancer controlled during treatment while a second pancreatic cancer developed

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: KRAS exon 2 mutation

She died in March 2022. Her Stage III lung cancer had remained controlled for about 18 months, while a separate pancreatic cancer developed and progressed.

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Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Tim's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tim Monds, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: High PD-L1 expression

Metastatic Site: Other lung lobes / lung nodules

As of March 2024, Tim Monds was identified as a Stage IV lung cancer survivor involved in discussion of the PaCES early palliative-care project and broader lung cancer advocacy.

Small cell lung cancer with dermatomyositis improving after chemo-immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 70+

After treatment began, muscle enzymes fell and his strength, skin symptoms, and overall condition improved.

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Small cell lung cancer with dermatomyositis and fatal immune-related toxicity

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 50s

He died 3 weeks after starting treatment after developing severe skin toxicity thought to be a fatal immune-related adverse event, with possible infection and sepsis.

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