November 2020 – Lung Cancer

Frank Sierawski had never smoked and had no family or personal history of lung problems, but what started out as a distressing cough ended up being lung cancer.

Oncology nutritionist Julie Lanford presents nutrition tips for patients with lung cancer, advocating for a health plan to combat unintentional weight loss and managing poor appetite.

When her mother was diagnosed with stage IIIB lung cancer, Danielle Hicks took an active role in caring for her and found her purpose helping other patients going through the same fight.

In September 2020, the FDA approved a second drug for the treatment of patients with lung cancer and RET fusions, improving the treatment options available today for patients with this type of lung cancer.

A.J. Patel, who ran around 20 miles a week as a semi-professional soccer referee, was shocked to get a lung cancer diagnosis and dismayed when his relationships strained. Then, an estranged uncle came to his aid.

Pattie Dorf created a painting of two people walking through the woods that expresses her feeling that “our life can create the choices we make with illness.”

At the October 2020 conference of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), researchers presented information on new or recently approved targeted therapies and immunotherapies for lung cancer.

In May 2020, the FDA approved the first drug ever for the treatment of patients with lung cancer and RET fusions, a type of biomarker that can lead to lung cancer and requires specific drug therapy.

One biomarker that is involved in lung cancer is the ALK mutations. Although several drugs are now available for this type of lung cancer, new evidence shows that some patients may need different therapies.