Woman 'cancer-free' after taking new lung cancer drug in Colorado

Drug in clinical trials at CU Cancer Center has helped Lindsay Gomes battle lung cancer
by Kim Posey, KDVR Denver
10:54 AM MDT, August 18, 2010

(August 17, 2010) AURORA - Doctors at the University of Colorado Cancer Center are very hopeful about the possibilities of a new cancer drug in clinical trials with Pfizer. It's helping people like Lindsay Gomes.

At age 28, the nonsmoker was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. She went through months of chemotherapy, but could not kick the cancer. Her doctor sent her tissue in for extra testing, and found that Lindsay's cancer was positive for the ALK protein.

The new drug goes after that specific protein in lung cancer patients. "In Lindsay it's what's driving her cancer, and when you shut it off, you take away the cancer's life support system, and that cancer disappears in a few days," said Dr. Ross Camidge, who is involved with the research.

After just a short time on the drug, Lindsay's scans are cancer free. "I've got my life back," she says.

The University of Colorado Cancer Center is one of five centers in the world involved in the research. Dr. Camidge says he hopes all lung cancer patients will be tested to see if their tumors are ALK positive, to see if they could benefit from the drug.