Surviving LMD: Michelle Never Settled for “No”

Michelle knew what was wrong. She knew the headaches, regular vomiting, ear popping, and “whooshing” sounds in her head were all signs of leptomeningeal disease (LMD). The issue, however, is that LMD is so rare—only diagnosed in 5% of people with cancer—she had to advocate for the testing to prove it.

“I called my clinic and said I needed a brain MRI because I think I have LMD. They didn’t want to schedule one, so I said, tell my doctor I’m demanding a brain MRI. I can tell him directly if I need to,” says Michelle.

New Treatment Approved for NSCLC with High Level of c-Met Protein

On May 14, 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv (EMRELIS™) to treat patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high levels of c-Met protein who have been previously treated with a systemic therapy, such as immunotherapy or chemotherapy.  

This ADC, or antibody-drug conjugate, is the first approval of its kind. This ADC treatment is designed with two key elements.  

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What Should Patients Know About Lung Cancer Surgery?

Surgery is a treatment option for early-stage lung cancer that involves removing all or part of a lung to treat a cancerous tumor. It is primarily an option for people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) staged at I, II, or IIIA. Surgery is rarely considered for tumors at stage IIIB or IV because those lung cancers have spread to other parts of the body.

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