Heather Quintana Suchan, a mom and music trade skilled residing with stage 4 lung most cancers, shared how her analysis challenged frequent assumptions about who develops the illness and underscored the significance of biomarker testing, in an interview with CURE.
A lifelong nonsmoker, she as soon as believed lung most cancers was largely lifestyle-based. Her solely symptom was a persistent cough she disregarded as a chilly till testing revealed superior illness. At Metropolis of Hope, genomic profiling recognized a particular mutation, permitting her to start out focused remedy with Rybrevant (amivantamab-vmjw). She continues working and staying lively, encouraging others to not ignore delicate signs and to hunt customized testing so therapy choices match their lives.
CURE: What was the largest false impression you had about lung most cancers that’s since been debunked by your precise expertise residing with the illness?
Heather Quintana Suchan: Once I was first identified with lung most cancers, I couldn’t consider it. There’s a giant notion on the market that it is a lifestyle-based illness and that somebody should have accomplished one thing to get it. And that’s so not true. I used to be by no means a smoker, very wholesome and lively with my household, so I felt like there was a stigma about how individuals get lung most cancers.
I do know the million-dollar query is how nonsmokers are getting lung most cancers, and I consider we’re getting nearer to understanding how these gene mutations occur. However that was a giant false impression for me, that it was lifestyle-based.
Once I discovered not solely did I’ve lung most cancers however stage 4 lung most cancers, I used to be shocked as a result of I wasn’t that sick. I’m a mom with youngsters and I had a cough on a regular basis as a result of I’m round them, so having a persistent cough wasn’t actually setting off alarm bells. It simply confirmed me that most cancers can creep in and be there quietly. It’s actually essential to get checked, even when your signs appear delicate, as a result of mine weren’t that excessive.
You’re employed within the music trade. How did you navigate the choice to go public along with your analysis with colleagues and shoppers, and the way has that neighborhood supported your advocacy?
I’ve labored within the music trade for 15 years and it’s one thing I’m very pleased with. I work within the merchandise house, which has been such a rising division, and I’ve had a variety of accomplishments there.
Individuals know me in that house, and I’ve discovered there are a variety of charitable individuals within the music trade, individuals concerned in most cancers philanthropy and that world. So after I discovered I used to be sick, I began calling round and saying, “Hey, I want a help system right here. I used to be simply identified with most cancers, and I do know you’re acquainted with the most cancers services round.”
Doing that analysis with individuals in my neighborhood actually helped my journey. They supported me vastly. I labored your entire time I’ve been sick. Somebody with stage 4 lung most cancers didn’t stop their job and stored going. As a result of I get pleasure from my work and I’m pleased with what I do, it’s been a shiny spot for me. I may give attention to making T-shirts slightly than worrying about how sick I would really feel.
I’ve tried to maintain life common and take it a day at a time. The music trade actually supported me by all of that. And actually, I would like individuals to know you’ll be able to nonetheless dwell a really full life. I nonetheless go to concert events, baseball video games and soccer video games. I don’t let most cancers outline me.
Whenever you have been first advised you had most cancers in every single place, you described the second as very hopeless. What was the particular turning level in your dialog along with your oncology staff that shifted your perspective from “I’m accomplished” to “I’m on a upkeep plan”?
I keep in mind going to Metropolis of Hope and never figuring out something, then being advised that I did have most cancers and it was stage 4. I believed that meant getting your affairs so as. My mom and my husband have been there, and all of us checked out one another like, how may that be true?
However the hospital and the workers have been so reassuring. They mentioned, “We’ve acquired you. We will soften this away with treatment.” They advised me I’d do chemotherapy, however there was additionally one thing referred to as Rybrevant that had only recently been FDA accredited about 5 weeks earlier than I acquired there. They mentioned it was a focused remedy that may discover my most cancers wherever it had unfold.
They defined it was a wise drug, a monoclonal antibody. I had by no means heard of that earlier than. I went from feeling like stage 4 meant I used to be a goner to listening to that we may get this below management and get me to a steady place.
I trusted my staff, signed off on my therapy plan that day and by no means appeared again. I by no means Googled something. I simply went with my medical doctors. Having that belief, and a medicine that’s been life-changing for me, is why I’m doing so properly at present.
Your therapy success relied closely on figuring out a particular genetic mutation. How are you utilizing your platform to coach different sufferers in regards to the necessity of biomarker testing and genomic profiling early within the diagnostic course of?
It’s so essential to know your biomarkers and do the genetic testing. This most cancers just isn’t one measurement suits all. Even inside exon 20, which is the mutation I’ve, there are variations. Till you do this testing, you’ll be able to’t know what one of the best plan of action will likely be for you.
In my case, I do know my physique responds very properly to Rybrevant and my negative effects are minimal. However another person may need a unique story. The purpose is, you’ll be able to’t know that until you take a look at.
On that first day at Metropolis of Hope, it felt like they unlocked the magic by going by my genetic report and making a advice particular to me. Everyone seems to be a person. It’s a journey, and there could also be curves alongside the way in which, however you’ll be able to nonetheless dwell a wholesome, full life. I plan to dwell to be an previous woman, so let’s hold going.
What’s your message for different busy mother and father who may be powering by comparable respiratory signs?
I positively powered by what I believed was a chilly for for much longer than I ought to have. For about six months, I had an intermittent cough that wouldn’t go away, however that’s not unusual once you dwell with babies.
I additionally seen my laptop monitor appeared unusual and thought possibly the fluorescent lights have been bothering me. Wanting again, these have been early signs. I went to work every single day and stored going after I most likely ought to have investigated additional.
Finally, my cough turned extra like pneumonia and I went to pressing care. That’s what began this complete journey. Don’t ignore signs, even when they appear small. Early detection actually issues. Hearken to your physique.
What message do you could have for caregivers supporting somebody by therapy?
My husband turned my caregiver after I was actually going by the thick of therapy, and he typically felt like he couldn’t ever be sick or take time for himself. As a affected person, I really wished him to exit and do issues. I’d say, “I’m effective, I’m simply resting, please go do one thing for your self.”
I feel it’s essential for caregivers to have a life and handle themselves too. Seeing him do one thing good for himself really made me really feel higher.
What are three questions each affected person ought to ask once they really feel like their signs are being dismissed by pressing care or major medical doctors?
First, ask your self, do I belief my care staff? That’s very private, however you’ll really feel it.
Second, do I really feel like a precedence right here? It’s straightforward to really feel rushed or lumped in with everybody else, however you need to really feel personally cared for and heard.
Third, can I match this therapy into my life as it’s? Therapy can really feel overwhelming, however taking it a day at a time helps. In case you belief your staff and really feel snug with them, that makes all of the distinction.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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