Patient Story: How Sarah Found Her EGFR Trial

Note: Patient name changed for privacy. Story shared with permission.

The Diagnosis

Sarah was 52 when she received the news no one wants to hear: stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. A never-smoker and avid marathon runner, she was shocked. "I thought lung cancer only happened to smokers," she recalls. "I had no risk factors."

Finding the Mutation

Her oncologist ordered comprehensive genomic testing through Foundation Medicine. The results revealed an EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation—a less common variant that doesn't respond to standard EGFR inhibitors like osimertinib.

"My doctor was honest with me," Sarah says. "He said the standard drugs wouldn't work well for my specific mutation. But he also said there were trials testing new drugs specifically for exon 20 insertions."

The Search

Sarah spent hours on ClinicalTrials.gov, overwhelmed by the medical jargon and thousands of results. Then she found ClinicalMatch.ai.

"I put in my cancer type and my specific mutation, and it showed me trials I was actually eligible for. It even showed which hospitals were enrolling near me."

Enrolling in the Trial

Sarah found a Phase 2 trial testing a new EGFR exon 20 inhibitor at a cancer center about two hours from her home. After a screening process that took about three weeks, she was enrolled.

"The trial covered the cost of the drug and most of my scans. I still had some travel costs, but the trial team helped me find a program that covered hotels for my longer visits."

One Year Later

Sarah has been on the trial drug for 14 months. Her tumors have shrunk by more than 50%, and she's back to running—"shorter distances, but still moving."

"I'm so grateful I didn't give up when I heard my mutation was 'rare' or 'hard to treat.' The right trial was out there. I just had to find it."

Sarah's Advice

• Always get comprehensive genomic testing
• Don't assume your mutation is too rare for trials
• Use search tools that filter by specific mutations
• Be willing to travel—it might be worth it
• Ask about financial assistance programs