Targeted therapy working beyond expectations

I’m so pleased for you! Long may it last.

That is wonderful news. You must be so pleased. My mum has just started the alectinib tablets as is also alk positive so I really hope that she has the same results. Can I ask what side effects you had and when they started? We’re on day 4 of the tablets. Do you know why you had certinib not alectinib? x

That's fantastic..enjoy..

I've just started crizotinib for??met amplification...

Good luck to us all

So happy to hear your good news

Thank you everyone for your kind words of support. It means a lot from others who completely understand what it’s like to go through the nightmare that is lung cancer.

In reply to you Daisy Chain I was told that Ceritinib was the most effective drug available, although I’m not entirely sure that’s strictly true. I do think a lot has to do with what your local health authority is inclined to recommend oncologists prescribe. The side effects for me are very much gastric related. I have a few hours most mornings with stomach cramps and diarrhoea, though I am slowly getting to grips with dealing with it. I have heard that Alectinib has less side effects than Ceritinib so hopefully your mum will get on ok with it. My side effects started pretty much straight away, I’ve been on my meds 6 months so I’ve been told my body should start accepting it soon! To be honest the fact that it’s working so well kind of helps mentally with dealing with feeling rough.

I hope your Mum gets on well, feel free to ask me any questions if you have any ( private message if you don’t want to post ) about being ALK positive. I’d be happy to help if I can.

Congratulations, I love a bit of good news, I am so pleased for you xx

Splendid! Celebrate!

Well done. What great news.

Really glad to hear your news ,you must be feeling a lot lighter and knowing you can plan life a bit is thoroughly uplifting .Side effects are sometimes worth it .

Hello BellaBe. I am delighted to hear your brilliant news 😊. Trust you are doing something nice to celebrate. Hope the positive response you have had continues indefinitely. x

Great news. Long may it continue. Cancer treatments have nothing to with health boards in England as it is commissioned from NHS England (not clinical commissioning boards). Health boards are in scotland, Wales and N. Ireland as far as I understand. However treatments are recommended and judged based on clinical need, biological results from Pathology and other conditions that a patient may have and the general fitness of the patient in line with NICE guidelines (recently updated to take newer treatments into account), National optimal Lung cancer pathway, society of cardiothoracic guidelines and policy changes resulting from clinical trials. Now heavily involved in lung cancer research (since 2014), and a member of various clinical trial committees/boards lucky enough to attend conferences, I see the massive inroads being made in lung cancer treatment as well as new agents, treatments in different combinations/order being tried all the time to beat this and improve patient outcomes. Here's to many more people having similar results to you. good luck.

Dear BellaBe

That is great news and thank you for sharing your encouraging update.

All the very best

The Roy Castle Support Team

Great news. Do you know about the ALK Positive support groups?

Great news🥰