Patient blogs, articles and research.
A beginner's guide for ALK‐positive lung cancer.
By Professor Elena Klenova, PhD in genetics, living with ALK+ lung cancer
Elena is a scientist with more than 40 years of experience in biomedical research. Her main interests are to understand cancer at the molecular level. She was a head of research groups, held senior leadership posts, taught at the under-graduate and post-graduate levels and published more than 70 scientific papers. After being diagnosed with ALK-positive lung cancer in 2017, she became a keen learner of the condition and a passionate patient advocate. Elena retired from her position as Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Essex in 2019, but she is associated with the University as Professor Emerita.
Read Elena’s guide for patients and care partners here.
October 2025
Surgical local consolidation treatment in stage IV ALK+ NSCLC: the first documented UK case.
By Elena Klenova, Stephen McGregor, Gillie Evans, Neil Meardon
Elena, Steve, Gillie and Neil are respectively former researchers and GPs — all living with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer — and together documented the first case in the UK of a stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer to undergo surgical local consolidation.
Read the case report here.
February 2025
Living, truly living, with lung cancer.
By Mel Erwin
Mel from London lives with her partner Sarah and is a mum to three adult children. She was diagnosed in August 2020 with EGFR+ lung cancer. In June 2024, a biopsy revealed a recurrence. She is now living with stage 4 lung cancer. Before her diagnosis, Mel was the director of a literacy organisation ensuring all children learnt to read regardless of background or need. She chose to retire early. Her personal blog, ‘My Lovely Lungs’ offers insight into her experiences; the fear and shock on diagnosis; the value of the drugs now available and how she lives with va-va-voom.
Read Mel’s blog here.
July 2024