I was diagnosed with stage IV ALK positive lung cancer at age 39 and was considered to have only 2 weeks to 9 months to live.
Life is disrupted by cancer
Cancer always seems to come at the worst of times. It was a sultry autumn morning for me. After living out of town for 21 years, I am so excited to be back home with my husband to raise our two young daughters. But that joy was taken away when I went for a jog the day before and felt more out of breath than usual.
Since my daughters were in school and my husband was at work, I decided to go to the hospital myself for a checkup because I thought I might have a cold, or at worst pneumonia. After undergoing imaging studies (X-rays), she was referred to the emergency room with suspected collapsed lung.
After a lot of tests and scans, my doctor told me those horrible things no one wants to hear: “You have cancer.” In my case, Lung cancer is Stage IV, which is an advanced stage. I have never smoked and have no traditional risk factors and have been an active, healthy mother in my life.
Luckily, I quickly found an oncologist who recommended comprehensive genomic testing to get more answers and allow us to take therapeutic action.
Even though the world was running around me at that moment, he convinced me that the two-week wait was worth it because it could identify the mutation in my cancer DNA that could help us find Targeted therapy for cancer.
I had a biopsy and the sample was sent to a comprehensive genetic testing company. While I was waiting for the results of my genetic test, one day my daughter came home from school crying because one of her classmates told my daughter that your mother has cancer and is dying. Since then, we’ve decided to share the details of my cancer with the kids.
“Won the lottery”
Comprehensive genomic testing revealed that I have a mutation in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. At the time I didn’t know what ALK-positive lung cancer meant, but soon I knew it was a cancer caused by an ALK mutation. My oncologist says having ALK-positive cancer is like “winning the lottery” because it means I’m eligible for targeted therapy to extend and improve my quality of life< /strong>.
Because my genetic testing provided the answers, let the doctor help us develop a treatment plan. This relaxes me a little bit and makes me feel a little more at peace.
Meanwhile, I wanted to learn as much as I could about knowledge about ALK-positive lung cancer, so I started looking online for support groups and resources . I was fortunate to have found such an organization and learned a lot about coping with cancer and how to deal with the disease mentally and physically. I was really scared at the time, but my husband was always there for me.
“Stolen Time”
I was diagnosed with cancer at age 39 and just celebrated my 44th birthday last September. Every day we thank my medical team, our community organizations and, of course, my targeted treatment. Most importantly, I was able to take the first step and do a comprehensive genomic test. Over time, I may develop drug resistance, however, I will live 90 days between scans.
I don’t have 5 or 10 year goals anymore. Of course, we’ll be talking about some long-term topics, and we’re hopeful for the future, but even planning a vacation next summer is a big step for us. I don’t want cancer to define me, but it is a part of me. During this crazy journey, it helps to stay positive and continue to create family memories instead of worrying about the little things.
[Important Notice]The information in the article is for reference only, and the specific treatment follow the doctor’s advice!