My Cancer Story by Meloni Armstrong

Hi friends,

This is me shortly after my brain surgery. My face is swollen from the surgery and from weeks of steroids, which I am sensitive to. Brain surgery is the second major surgery I’ve undergone since being diagnosed with lung cancer. The first was a lobectomy in 2016 where my right middle lobe of my lung was removed. I’m here today to tell you why research matters.

When I was diagnosed in Feb 2016, I underwent the traditional chemo, radiation, surgery, and more chemo regiment. They declared me in remission in August 2016. By January 2017 I discovered a lump in my collar bone, which turned out to be cancerous and at that time I learned it was ALK+.

My treatments turned from IV chemo towards oral TKIs, and the first one prescribed was Xalkori, a drug which had been approved in 2011. Unfortunately, it did not provide coverage to my brain, and in November 2017, a mere four months after I started taking the drug, I was diagnosed with metastases to the brain and officially became a Stage IV lung cancer patient. They prescribed me Alectinib, a drug which had received FDA approval that same month, and provided coverage to the brain.

I took alectinib for about four years until I progressed in a lymph node in my chest, and I was switched to lorlatinib, also a newer drug which received accelerated FDA approval in 2018. I’m still on lorlatinib at this time. My next treatment is very likely a drug that is currently in trial right now.

We need research. Research matters. Our lives depend on it.

ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer patient stories

Last modified: March 20, 2025