There’s One More Step toComplete Your Stage IV NSCLC Diagnosis
Complete Your Stage IV Diagnosis
If you’ve been diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), also called metastatic lung cancer, biomarker testing may allow your doctors to better understand your specific type of cancer and choose an appropriate treatment plan. Treatment options may vary depending on your health and the spread of the cancer. Early-stage and locally advanced cancers (stages I-III) can become metastatic disease.
Put a Checkmark Next to Biomarker Testing
TALK
To Your Healthcare Team About Biomarker Testing
Biomarker testing can help your healthcare team detect possible driver mutations and an immune protein in your cancer that may be causing it to grow and spread. Talk to your healthcare team about how biomarker testing can help inform your treatment plan. Guidelines recommend that stage IV NSCLC patients are tested for the PD-L1 immune protein and the following nine-biomarkers: EGFR, KRAS, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, NTRK 1/2/3, MET, RET, and HER2.
TEST
As the Next Step in Your Treatment Plan
Your doctor will test your lung cancer for biomarkers by sending a tissue or blood sample to a lab. Results take time but can help your doctor understand more about your specific type of lung cancer.
Once your doctor has the results, they can share more about your stage IV non-small cell lung cancer and determine an appropriate treatment plan.
Ask your doctor about biomarker testing as it may help determine the appropriate treatment plan for your specific type of lung cancer. EGFR is an example of a known biomarker for which there are treatment options.
Up to 1 in 4 stage IV patients with NSCLC may have an EGFR mutation1-2*
Up to 1 in 4 stage IV patients with NSCLC may have an EGFR mutation. This chart shows four figures of patients and only one figure is shaded darker, representing the 26% of patients with stage IV NSCLC.
*Prevalence of EGFR mutations in NSCLC adenocarcinoma was based on data from 2 references: Sholl et al (2015) performed mutation analysis on 1007 specimens with confirmed diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR sensitizing mutations (exon 19 deletions, EGFR L858R mutations, EGFR G719X mutations, EGFR L861Q mutations) and other EGFR mutations (any one or more mutations in EGFR other than exon 19 deletions, L858R mutations, G719X mutations, or L861Q mutations); and Jordan et al (2017) analyzed tumors from 860 patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR sensitizing mutations (exon 19 deletions/ insertions and L747P mutations; exon 21 L858R and L861Q mutations; exon 18 E709_T710delinsD, G719A, E709K+G719S, E709K+G719A, E709A+G719S; G719C+S768I, G719S+S768I, G719A+L861Q, G719A+S768I; EGFR-KDD), EGFR T790M mutations, and EGFR exon 20 insertions and H773R mutations.1-3
TREAT
Your Specific Stage IV NSCLC
Your biomarker test results could help you and your healthcare team determine which treatment options may be appropriate to treat your specific type of lung cancer.
Meet fellow NSCLC patients and learn how biomarker testing impacted their treatment journey.
“Don’t worry until there is something to worry about. Slow down – you have time to figure this out. There is a lot of information out there to help you. Take what you find useful and apply it to your life.”
MEET ANNE
When Anne was first diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, she was eager to start treatment. Working with her healthcare team, Anne obtained biomarker testing which revealed a positive EGFR mutation. With this new information, Anne’s healthcare team was able to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
“Find a mentor and talk to other survivors. There is no one that can understand your feelings like another survivor can because we’ve been there. We’ve done that.”
MEET TIFFANY
She was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer and a positive EGFR mutation at age 36 after a CT scan found a mass in her brain and lung. Biomarker testing allowed Tiffany’s healthcare team to determine appropriate treatment options for her specific type of lung cancer.
“When you’re diagnosed, you are put into a ‘what’s the next step’ mentality. Keeping your focus and working with your healthcare team to explore your treatment options can help you feel more encouraged about living with cancer.”
MEET SARINA
Sarina is currently living with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer and a positive EGFR mutation. Since her initial diagnosis, Sarina has learned to manage life with lung cancer by maintaining a persevering attitude and accepting support from her family, friends and community.
References
- 1Sholl LM, Aisner DL, Varella-Garcia M, et al. LCMC Investigators. Multi-institutional oncogenic driver mutation analysis in lung adenocarcinoma: The Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium experience. J Thorac Oncol. 2015;10(5):768-777. [Article and Supplementary Appendix]
- 2Jordan EJ, Kim HR, Arcila ME, et al. Prospective comprehensive molecular characterization of lung adenocarcinomas for efficient patient matching to approved and emerging therapies. Cancer Discov. 2017;7(6):596-609.
- 3Kris MG, Johnson BE, Berry LD, et al. Using multiplexed assays of oncogenic drivers in lung cancers to select targeted drugs. JAMA. 2014;311(19):1998-2006.