Why did the EGFR mutation lead to stage IV NSCLC?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 56-year-old man and weigh about 165 pounds. I have been diagnosed with EGFR mutation-positive stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). I was a light smoker in the past but quit a long time ago.

I do not understand how the cancer progressed so much before it was diagnosed because my symptoms were very mild, with only an occasional cough and fatigue.

Why did the EGFR mutation lead to stage IV NSCLC at the age of 56? Will the mutation cause the cancer to progress faster than other cancers?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and understand your concern.

I understand how afraid you must be of having stage IV lung cancer. On the other hand, I also feel the need to tell you that lung cancer is highly treatable. Once treatment begins, the tumors can shrink, even if they have spread to distant organs. The metastases may be reduced significantly, and the primary tumor can also become smaller.

Being EGFR mutation-positive actually helps us choose the most appropriate targeted therapy for you. These treatments can provide very good control of the cancer in many cases. Based on how well you are doing overall, we might even choose not to use chemotherapy since it can be more drastic and affect your health more than other treatments.

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are just two other new ways to treat this disease that do not come with as many side effects. Many patients live for more than 10 or even 20 years while receiving these treatments and continue to have a good quality of life.

These medications can be expensive. If cost is a concern, you can ask your oncologist about clinical trials. Many pharmaceutical companies provide the required genetic testing and treatment free of charge, along with close follow-up throughout the study.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at iCliniq.

Thank you.