The News We've Been Waiting For

Hi there,

At last!  I am so relieved to finally have some good news to report.

The word came down in an email from my oncology nurse this afternoon.  My blood work DNA confirmed what I’ve always suspected:  I am a mutant twice over.  I not only have the EGFR mutation, but also the T790M mutation.  This makes me eligible for expanded access to the AZD9291 drug that is getting all the good reports for great results with minimal side effects.

The rule for expanded access is that, until it gets FDA approval, you have to go to one of ten identified clinics that dispense the AZD9291 drug.  The closest one is in Lansing, Michigan.  I don’t know when I will start to go there, how long I will have to stay there, or how frequently I will have to go there.  I hope to have more details when I have my appointment at Rush this Monday, September 14.  I’ll share the updates soon after I get them.

A special "thank you" to other lung cancer survivors I have come across through various programs and events I've attended.  They have followed my blog, seen my struggles, and offered their own experience, research and knowledge to help guide me to this hopeful next step.

Thanks to all of you for your love, concern and support.  I never realized that keeping this blog was going to be so helpful to me in so many ways.