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ALK+ Blog/News

  • Targeted Therapy in Advanced and Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. An Update on Treatment of the Most Important Actionable Oncogenic Driver Alterations

    An updated review of the most current targeted therapies in NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) by targetable mutation. Dr. David Konig, Dr. Spasenija S. Prince, and Dr. Sacha I Rothschild did a great review on the current status of targeted therapy in NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer).  Because of the advancement of molecular diagnostics and…

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  • Fundraiser Spotlight Series

    EDITOR’S NOTE: Starting with this newsletter, we are launching a new “Fundraiser Spotlight Series”, featuring some of our top fundraisers in recent years. The idea is for members to get to know our fellow ALK members better and to get inspiration and ideas for how we, too, can fundraise for research through ALK Positive, Inc.…

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    Dr. Christine Lovly joins ALKtALK

    Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Marc Rosenzweig for creating and scheduling the ALKtALK programs. Alice Chou graciously committed her time to transcribe thisALKtALK with Dr. Lovly so that it would be available here for other ALK patients. Thank you so much Alice Chou for your hard work and generosity!! . . and a big…

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  • Patient Spotlight: Vangie Lim, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

    We interviewed member and fellow ALK patient, Vangie Lim, about her journey with lung cancer and her experience participating in a unique clinical trial that is currently only open in Australia. Vangie is also very active in advocacy and is the founder of The Evangeline Lim Lung Cancer Foundation, the first lung cancer nonprofit in…

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  • A scientist in a lab looking through a microscope and writing on a clipboard.

    Update on ALK Clinical Trials currently recruiting and a caregiver’s perspective on why treatment at an NCI cancer center prolongs survival

    Like all trips to the emergency room, this one was unexpected. But my husband was shocked and overwhelmed to hear he had stage 4 lung cancer. With tumors throughout his chest and in his brain, his prognosis seemed dismal. The oncologist assigned by the hospital did not ease our panic. His bedside manner was characterized…

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  • Dr. Ross Camidge joins ALKtALK

    Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Marc Rosenzweig for creating and scheduling the ALKtALK programs. Alice Chou graciously committed her time to transcribe the January ALKtALK with Dr. Camidge so that it would be available here on our blog for other ALK patients.. Thank you so much Alice Chou for your hard work and generosity!!…

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  • Dr. Alice Shaw joins ALKtALK

    Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Marc Rosenzweig for creating and scheduling the ALKtALK programs. Alice Chou graciously committed her time to transcribe the January ALKtALK with Dr. Shaw so that it would be available here for other ALK patients.. Thank you so much Alice Chou for your hard work and generosity!! . . and…

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  • Normal ALK Function

    What function does ALK serve in a healthy human? Read on for some fascinating proposed hypotheses. We all know that a faulty ALK activation domain leads to all kinds of trouble. But what is the normal function of the ALK protein? ALK was identified in 1997 by two groups, Iwahara et. al. and Morris et…

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    Covid-19 vaccines and lung cancer patients

    What are Covid-19 vaccines made of and how do they work? Moreover, should lung cancer patients take them? With the rise of Covid-19 infection rates and the promise of a Covid-19 vaccine, we are going to delve into the questions of “what is a vaccine?” and “should we or should we not take it”? What…

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  • Patient Spotlight: Hanka Mosher, British Columbia, Canada

    Many ALK Positive members know Hanka Mosher through her Zoom yoga classes on ALKtALK. Did you know that Hanka is also an avid skier and passionate about health and wellness in general? We asked her about working her way back up to a good level of fitness following her diagnosis and lobectomy, and we picked…

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    Staying active as a lung cancer patient

    What can ALKies do to stay active and improve their fitness? Read on for advice for every fitness level. Recommending regular physical activity has always been part of a doctor’s advice to every healthy adult since the 1970s. At that time, a push for intermediate/high intensity exercise to increase cardiovascular training was emphasized by athletes.…

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    Vitamin D in cancer and Covid-19

    What is Vitamin D and does it have a role in fighting lung cancer and the Covid-19 virus? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods (fish such as salmon, trout, or tuna) or available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin D can also be produced by our own body when…

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