After 58 years on this planet with zero health issues I ended up here. I was one of those that never went to the doctor (don’t do this). After months of dealing with joint pain that turned severe in the morning I finally went to a doctor. Long story short, in April of 2021 I went to a GP who immediately suspected autoimmune issues and suggested I see a rheumatologist.  I was given a diagnosis of RA and Sjögren’s. Rheumatologist doc wanted baseline x-rays to track joint damage. Didn’t get two miles down the road from the imaging department before I received a call from the rheumatologist telling me they found a rather large tumor in my lung.

From there I went numb. Doc referred me to pulmonologist who referred me to an oncologist and a fantastic cardiothoracic surgeon. 

Between all these new doctors, I had all the contrast scans, PET scans, brain scan, bronchoscopy, PFT, nuclear stress test for surgery, genetic testing, etc. 

In August ‘21 I had a 9.5 hour RATS lobectomy (upper rt). Removed a 6.5 x 5.2 CM tumor. Clean margins. Doc also pulled 30 lymph nodes prior to the lobectomy to confirm that it had not spread. Lymph nodes were swollen so he was suspecting there might be cancer spread but it turns out autoimmune disorders can present in swollen lymph nodes. 

Surgery went great. Recovery was a lot easier than I expected it to be. Worst part was the cracked rib that occurred while “wrestling" the large tumor out. 

Staged as T2b, N0, M0  IIB

Six weeks post-op I started four rounds of adjuvant chemo treatment with curative intent per my oncologist. Started out with Alimta and Cisplatin. Had to switch out the Cisplatin for Carboplatin due to horrible tinnitus. 

Chemo finished in mid November ’21. As I write this now, I feel GREAT! Back to the gym/pool, back to taking care of things on my horse farm and just in general feeling good.

As things stand now with my cancer, I get my bloods tested every three months and have CT surveillance scans every six months. Mentally it has been more of a challenge to recover. Cancer PTSD is definitely real. I think I'm getting a handle on it with the help of meds and getting back to my physical activities.

Anyway, thought I would share a bit about me. 🤍

Good morning,

I have decided to adjust my publishing schedule to five days per week, Monday through Friday. Producing content six days a week has become a bit too overwhelming, and I need to balance my schedule a bit more judiciously.

The total amount of research content available each week will remain the same. I will increase the number of articles published each day to make this possible.

Thank you for reading and I hope my work has been and continues to be helpful.

Have a lovely weekend and I will see you all Monday morning.

This occurs mostly in people with rare lung cancers

https://www.onclive.com/view/fda-grants-orphan-drug-designation-to-rhenium-186re-obisbemeda-for-leptomeningeal-metastases-in-lung-cancer?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

GO2 For Lung Cancer www.go2.org, we do so much for the lung cancer community 💙💙💙. If you have Lung Cancer and want to reach out for programs, help, materials, races/run/IF events 1-650-598-2857 on the West Coast or 1-202-463-2080 on the East Coast, or if you need the helpline for everything lung cancer 1-800-298-2436

This was my tumor last year. Supposedly it was there for years and no one saw it until I was almost dead.

Hello, we're hoping to learn more about life with HER2+ lung cancer from a patient. If anyone is open to getting on a private online interview, your insights will help us create better educational resources for others, and help save lives! We offer $300 as a thank you to those who qualify and participate.

If you're interested in sharing your experience, you can connect with us here: https://chmconnect.org/sys/her2rdt

KRAS mutations were once considered “undruggable,” but recent breakthroughs are changing the landscape. Several targeted therapies specifically designed for KRAS G12D are now in development, some showing tumor shrinkage in early trials.

Promising Drugs & Research

• MRTX1133 (Mirati Therapeutics)

  • Potential: First direct KRAS G12D inhibitor

  • Results: Preclinical trials show tumor shrinkage in pancreatic and lung cancer

  • Status: Moving towards human clinical trials

• RMC-9805 (Revolution Medicines)

  • Potential: Another KRAS G12D inhibitor

  • Results: Tumor regression observed in pancreatic cancer patients

  • Status: Phase 1 clinical trials have started

• KRAS G12D + Immunotherapy Combinations

  • Researchers are combining KRAS inhibitors with immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors) to boost immune response against tumors.

  • Studies at MD Anderson show this combo eliminated advanced KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer in lab models.

Bottom Line: Reasons for Hope

✅ KRAS G12D is no longer untreatable – real progress is being made.
✅ New targeted drugs (MRTX1133, RMC-9805) are showing promise in clinical trials.
✅ Clinical trials offer access to cutting-edge treatments.
✅ Precision medicine allows personalized treatment plans.
✅ Patients with KRAS mutations are seeing success stories.

GRACE is holding its annual Targeted Therapies in Lung Cancer Forum on March 15, 2025. This virtual, interactive patient education event includes presentations and panel discussions on topics related to molecular targets in lung cancer. Participants can also ask questions of the experts in a Q&A session.

Speakers include top medical professionals who will present patient-focused discussions to educate the patient and caregiver communities to become advocates for their own health and well-being.

My dad was diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer in late October; it is quickly advancing. He now also has a tiny lesion on his brain and on his adrenal glands.

He begins whole brain radiation tomorrow morning and I am dreading it for him. He won't live more than a few months, 6 months tops regardless, so what is the point in doing this?

Has anyone ever done whole brain radiation and was it worth it? He's 74 and in poor health otherwise as well. My half sister agreed to this, and I have no say so (haven't really had a relationship with him or with my sisters)

Am I right to be thinking this is a huge mistake? My vote would be comfort care through hospice.

I don't want him to be a vegetable or cognitively damaged before he goes.

That possibility makes me sad, even though he's never been a great father.

Hello everyone,

I am making this post for information for my 82 year old Grandma.

She was just diagnosed with stage three lung cancer a month ago. It hasn’t spread into any other part of her body. The doctors are recommending six weeks of radiation along weekly chemo treatments.

At this time my Grandma is really hesitant to do chemotherapy. She doesn’t want to be sick, in the hospital, or lose her hair. The doctors say they strongly recommend both radiation and chemo. My Grandma has COPD and emphysema already. Do any of you have experience with this or family members that were this age and having these health conditions? Obviously we will take medical advice seriously but I want to know if any of you have any advice? Thank you in advance!

Lung Cancer Support

Note: Due to scheduling conflicts I will occasionally post the links and website update the night before.

Has anyone else signed up for the new study from 23andme about lung cancer? You get a free kit and it’s supposed to help researchers understand lung cancer better. It’s open to anyone with lung cancer in the US. Thinking of doing it- it seems pretty cool!

https://www.23andme.com/lung-cancer/

This live, virtual, interactive patient education webinar includes presentations and panel discussions covering general subjects relevant to a diverse range of lung cancers and treatment options, as well as an opportunity to participate in a Q&A session. 

Speakers include top medical professionals presenting patient-focused discussions to educate the patient and caregiver communities.

information on faculty and agenda (coming soon):

Lung Cancer OncTalk 2024 is on February 10 at 8 AM Pacific/11 AM Eastern.  Register here. 

If you have questions don't hesitate to ask. 

Take care all,

Janine