Cure Childhood Cancer Inc

Lauren fought cancer not once, but twice.

After her second treatment ended, Lauren’s follow-up MRI showed 18 spots remaining. That was a good reduction, but not enough. Her doctor recommended that she undergo MIBG therapy again. Lauren remembered the tough side effects she experienced the first time and didn’t want to do it, but her mother talked her into it. The second round took her disease burden down to 14 spots. Because she has already received her lifetime maximum dosage of radiation, more MIBG therapy wasn’t possible.

Lauren had run out of treatment options.

When treatment options have been exhausted, there is little hope of survival. But through CURE’s funding of the Aflac Precision Medicine Program, doctors have a new tool in their toolkit. Lauren was enrolled in the program to see if there was a genetic reason her cancer was resisting treatment. Genetic testing revealed Lauren’s tumor had a genetic mutation for which there is a drug known to be effective. Lauren was immediately enrolled in a clinical trial for lorlatinib. She was given a single pill once a day, and after only four cycles, all bone metastases and bone marrow involvement had disappeared. Incredibly, the only tumor remaining at that time showed inactive.

Of course, Lauren was ecstatic with the results. She attended Spellman College in the fall of 2019. Despite the obstacles that cancer put in her way, she has a positive and hopeful attitude.

“My cancer journey has made me realize that you have to live life to the fullest and never give up!”