For people diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer, Edward “Buddy” Cutler’s story may serve as a beacon of hope, a clinical trial success story, and a reminder that statistics don’t dictate a person’s unique experience.
When Buddy was diagnosed with stage 4 (IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) 12 years ago, he was determined to do whatever he needed to do to fight the disease. Chemotherapy stopped working just 18 months into his diagnosis, so he turned to clinical trials to treat his disease.
The first clinical trial that Buddy joined gave him side effects so severe that he had to go to the hospital. He then joined another phase 1 trial in December of 2015 and is still on that drug today!
The trial ended in 2021, and of the 80 people enrolled in it, only Buddy and one other person showed success on the treatment that he now calls his “personal miracle drug.” It has kept him with no evidence of disease (NED) to this day.
Hear more about Buddy’s experiences and hopes for the future.
What’s the drug?
Hi Joanne,
Thank you for your question! While we are unsure of the specific name of the drug Buddy received, his story highlights the importance of exploring clinical trials as a treatment option for people with lung cancer.
While a trial may not be the right choice for everyone, trials may play an important role in an individual’s treatment journey because they offer the opportunity to access new, promising therapies before they are widely available. While the fact that Buddy was one of only 2 people who responded to the drug means its development likely did not continue to be commercially available, it is important to remember that all of the newer FDA-approved targeted therapies we see today were once options offered on clinical trials. We believe clinical trials should be considered any time a treatment decision is being made, along with discussing standard of care options with your healthcare team to determine what is best for you!
If you’re interested in exploring clinical trials as an option for you or a loved one, GO2’s LungMATCH team is available as a resource who can help talk through your unique treatment options and explore available clinical trial options. Please consider reaching out to our LungMATCH team through our HelpLine by calling 1-800-298-2436 or by emailing support@go2.org!