A Patient’s Experience of The Thoracentesis Procedure (Pleural Effusion tap, Thoracentesis, removal of excess fluid from the chest)

During the Thanksgiving holiday, over a liter of pleural fluid was withdrawn via needle from my right chest space. I had just finished my third cycle of Carboplatin, Pemetrexed, and Lorlatinib after almost ten years of TKIs alone. The fluid first became evident on a PET scan and was classified as moderate effusion. I didn't even know it was there but felt substantial relief when they took it out. Breathing is much easier and the pressure is gone.

Patient Stories, ResearchKirk SmithJanuary 30, 2025Thoracentesis, Jeff Sturm

Camidge Tumor Markers: Blood Testing for Anticipation of ALK Positive Progression, Monitoring Ongoing Recurrence, and Tracking Treatment Effect. My Personal Experience.

Those of us lucky enough to have Dr. Camidge as part of our care team have been encouraged to follow these tumor markers. Colin Barton, founder of the ALK Positive Medical Committee, has been doing so since 2018. LabCorp currently tests for these markers as part of my regular blood draws, and insurance pays for it. Presumably other diagnostic and insurance companies will do the same. The four markers are CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen/colorectal cancer), CA125 (ovarian), CA19.9 (pancreatic), and CA27.29 (breast).

Research, Patient StoriesKirk SmithJuly 16, 2024Patient Spotlight, Jeff Sturm, Camidge Tumor Markers