Targeted therapy

We received the best possible news: I can do targeted therapy! The genetic analysis was completed yesterday and showed that 41% of the biopsied cells have an EGFR mutation. ("EGFR [epidermal growth factor receptor] is a protein on cells that helps them grow. A mutation in the gene for EGFR can make it grow too much, which can cause cancer.) There is an effective medication for this mutation: Tagrisso (made by AstraZeneca, came on the market in 2018). 

I cannot tell you how relieved and elated we were to hear this news. According to the oncologist, he has patients who have been taking targeted therapy for years. The side effects he mentioned seemed pretty minor and manageable. I will take 1 pill a day for the foreseeable future and will need a lung CT scan about every 3 months and a brain MRI about 3 times per year (at least initially). I will do continued treatment at the Hillman Cancer Center in Pittsburgh. 

The oncologist said there's no reason we can't travel, so on Saturday we will embark on our planned two-week trip to Amsterdam, Leuven, Paris, and Slovenia. Our tight timeline presented a challenge for getting ahold of the Tagrisso, which is a very expensive medication and has to be specially ordered. The oncologist happened to have a sample of 12 pills, but that isn't enough to cover for me our trip. We stopped at an apotheke near our apartment, but the prescription wouldn't arrive until Monday. The pharmacist suggested checking a pharmacy near a large hospital. So I called one nearby and found out that they had ONE box in stock. The bus would take longer than biking, so I biked 4km there and got the Tagrisso within a matter of minutes! I'm guessing I may be part of a small sub-set of cancer patients who bike to pick up their first prescription. 

I hope that I won't need to post with updates very often ("no news is good news"). We have felt very loved, supported, and encouraged. I'm still shocked that I have lung cancer, but am so thankful for the fantastic care I've received and that I can take advantage of incredible, recent advances in medicine.

For those interested in price comparisons, a 1-month supply of Tagrisso in Germany is currently about $6450 (EUR 6150). In the US it's $16,500. Both are without insurance. It looks like our cost with Aetna will be $50/month. I don't know what we'd do if we weren't insured.

in front of the LungenClinic

my new medication

celebrating with the world's best fried potatoes at the farmers' market near our apartment