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ALK+ Blog/News

  • Announcing $5,000 Scholarships for Children of Parents with Rare Lung Cancer

    $5000 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHILDREN OF PARENTS WITH RARE LUNG CANCER College scholarship enabled by the family of Regina Dieker Kay & ALK Positive   Washington DC, March 15th, 2020 – The Dieker Kay family, in collaboration with ALK Positive, is pleased to announce the new ALK Positive Lung Cancer Scholarship, an Award Honoring the Memory…

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  • Patient Spotlight: Courtney Bloodworth & Leslie Trahan

    EDITORS NOTE: Sadly, Courtney Bloodworth passed away on April 21, 2023. She was a young wife and mother of two little boys. Her impact on our ALK+ community lives on along with her cherished memory.    Andy Trahan passed away on June 19, 2020.  He was Leslie’s husband and the father of 3 children.  He and…

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  • $500,000 Research grant to combat cancer treatment resistance

    SAN CARLOS, Calif. and WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — ALK Positive (a patient-led group of 1,900+ lung cancer patients and caregivers in 50+ countries) and GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer (a global lung cancer advocacy and education organization) are awarding a two-year, $500,000 Research Collaboration Grant to two renowned lung cancer researchers dedicated to overcoming treatment resistance. This grant funds research to help break down…

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  • LUNGevity and ALK Positive Inc. partner to fund $1 Million in Lung Cancer Research Awards

    LUNGevity and the ALK Positive Group Partner to Fund $1 Million in Lung Cancer Research Awards Collaboration for patient-driven research that has lifesaving potential FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:  Linda Wengerlwenger@LUNGevity.org(973) 449-3214 WASHINGTON, DC (January 21, 2020) — LUNGevity Foundation is partnering for the second time with patient-led group ALK Positive to support the ALK-positive…

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  • Patient Spotlight: Kirk Smith, Athens, GA

    Patient and lung cancer advocate Kirk Smith from Athens, GA talks to us about living (and thriving) with stage 4 lung cancer. Read on for an interview packed full of positive messages and advice from a long-term survivor. Can you share a little about your journey with lung cancer? My late grandfather used to tell…

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  • Case Study: successful re-use of Brigatinib after Lorlatinib

    Case study: Successful re-use of Brigatinib after Lorlatinib The patient in this case study was diagnosed with ALK-positive lung cancer in 2005 and had disease progression on several occasions.  Chemotherapy and radiation were used to treat the first two local progressions to the brain and spinal cord.  In 2012, the patient was prescribed Crizotinib for…

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    Biomarker Testing, explained

    Ever wondered what biomarker testing really refers to and what it means for your treatment options? Read on for a simplified explanation of how biomarkers can drive cancer, how testing is done, and how they can affect treatment decisions. Bonus section: an unusual case study where a patient achieved partial remission by re-using Brigatinib after…

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  • A year-end message to our members and donors

    December 17, 2018 Dear Friends, We wish you the warmest of holiday greetings and hope this letter finds you and your family well. Thanks to you, ALK Positive was able to accomplish some amazing things this past year! Our mission is to improve the quality of life and life expectancy of ALK-positive lung cancer patients.Here…

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  • We are nothing without HOPE

    A Lung Cancer Advocate Perspective on Progress When I was first diagnosed, I felt alone and completely overwhelmed. The statistics of lung cancer were terrifying and I was struggling to move forward into such an uncertain and challenging future. Joining the ALK Positive support group changed everything for me. I was able to meet others…

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  • What exactly is ALK-positive lung cancer?

    Find out more about the history of ALK fusion with an emphasis on early discovery, diagnostic methods, and the development of the first targeted ALK inhibitors. ALK Lung Cancer 101 These links provide a good general explanation of what ALK-positive lung cancer means for a newly-diagnosed patient. https://lcfamerica.org/lung-cancer-info/types-lung-cancer/alk-positive-lung-cancer https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/faq-stage-four-lung-cancer-with-alk#1   How did it all start?…

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  • MET and TP 53: How they relate to ALK lung cancer

    MET Amplification MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase that participates in the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated signaling pathway.  This protein is anchored to the cell wall to pass information from the outside the cell to the inside of the cell.  Normally, the receptor is activated by binding to HGF.  This binding leads to phosphorylation (adding…

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  • Care Partner Spotlight: Leslie Ardron

    Can you share a little about Vicky’s story and her path so far? Vicky was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in July 2017 at the age of 30. It took approximately 18 months for her to be diagnosed. She had persistent cough and breathlessness that antibiotics and inhalers did nothing for. She also had…

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