Elephants and Tea - Precision Medicine - 17

Biomarker Testing
HOW TESTING CHANGED MY TREATMENT
said, " Katie, get to an emergency department
immediately. I think you have a massive
blood clot in your lungs. " I got off the
phone, looked at my partner and burst into
tears. I could barely speak as I tried to tell
him we needed to go. I canceled my meeting.
I tried to think about what I needed to
bring with me, considering the magnitude
of the issue I was just told. We left.
I can't remember the short drive to the
hospital. I do remember my partner saying
he would be back soon after he dropped me
off. The emergency room was dark and under
construction. With COVID protocols
in place, I was trying to pay attention to
the screening procedures before I entered.
" Do you have a cough? " " Uh well, yes. I've
had it for months. I think that's why I am
here. I need medical attention ASAP. I have
a large lung blood clot. " I was wiping my
eyes, quivering, and trying not to burst
into tears again. I had to call my partner
and tell him he could not be with me due
to COVID protocols. The next six hours I
would be solo.
Over the course of two days, I found out
my lung cancer spread to my brain (four
spots) and liver (three spots). I had a partially
collapsed lung and blood clots in both
legs. I was told to get my affairs in order.
Everything was urgent. I had five rounds of
radiation to the lung for palliative reasons-
the tumor in my lung was pushing against
my bronchial tubes, which was causing my
non-stop coughing. My oncology team was
worried I would have major issues breathing
in just a few week's time. I also had gamma
knife radiation to the brain.
I was told about the permanent radiation
tattoos, the temporary skin damage, and
the targeted hair loss after brain radiation.
But what would be next? They were still
figuring out my treatment plan. I imagined
I would be prescribed chemo or continue
radiation. I imagined the sickness I would
eventually have-nausea, bloating, brain
fog, exhaustion, discomfort, pain, and
hair loss. I thought of my close friend who
passed away from stage IV cancer and her
pain: spending numerous hours in hospitals
and experiencing a loss of quality of life. I
saw firsthand her immensely difficult path.
This crumbled me. I couldn't imagine going
from working every day and living my
life, to being bedridden and ill. I was just
as worried about my lifespan as I was the
quality of my life.
Once my lung biopsy results came in,
it was confirmed I had ALK+ lung cancer
(NSCLC). Little did I know how impactful
this news would be. It completely changed
my treatment path and life expectancy. By
knowing this biomarker, I discovered I am
eligible for targeted therapies, also known
as precision medicine. I had no idea this
was a treatment option. I had never heard
of it. My oncologist told me an unbelievable
story of how I could take an oral pill
and most likely continue back to my way
of life. I was shocked. She stated, at a high
level, this treatment would only target my
cancer cells.
I started on a targeted therapy drug called
Alectinib. Two weeks later, my CT scan
came back showing incredible improvements-the
lesions on my liver shrunk up
to a third of their original size. The cancer
in my lung decreased significantly. Both my
health team and I were shocked. It wasn't expected
that I would have this much success
in just two weeks. I felt like I had a second
chance at life. This was a huge win for me in
many ways. But most importantly, it boosted
my confidence and I now felt incredibly
motivated, renewed, and hopeful for my life,
as well as the quality of life I could have.
Of course there are rollercoaster moments.
About two weeks later, I began to
feel tired. Each day was worse than the day
before. Eventually, I needed to nap during
the day and had little energy. This continued
where I had bouts of extreme weakness and
was unable to keep up with regular, daily
tasks. Soon enough my oncology team realized
it was the side effects of my targeted
therapy. We decided to stop it all together
and then restart in a week on a lower dosage.
Over the next few weeks, I started to
feel better.
As I gained confidence in my precision
medicine treatment and my overall perspective,
I desperately wanted to beat the odds.
I started on
a targeted therapy
drug called Alectinib.
Two weeks later, my
CT scan came back
showing incredible
improvements-the
lesions on my liver
shrunk up to a third
of their original size.
The cancer in my lung
decreased significantly.
Both my health team and
I were shocked. It wasn't
expected that I would
have this much success
in just two weeks.
ELEPHANTSANDTEA.ORG
PRECISION MEDICINE ISSUE 2024
17
http://www.ELEPHANTSANDTEA.ORG
Elephants and Tea - Precision Medicine

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