Young Lung Cancer Initiative Podcast

Mirrored EGFR template structure for KRAS podcast description

In the premiere of our KRAS Biomarker Series, we're joined by Dr. Fawzi Abu Rous, a renowned thoracic medical oncologist at Henry Ford Cancer Institute, to demystify the biology of a KRAS positive diagnosis.

For decades, KRAS was labeled "undruggable" the most common oncogenic driver in lung cancer, yet completely out of reach for targeted therapy. That changed when scientists discovered a hidden "pocket" on the G12C mutation, unlocking the first wave of KRAS inhibitors and rewriting what's possible for patients. Dr. Abu Rous walks us through how KRAS functions as a molecular "on/off switch" that gets jammed in the "on" position, why Comprehensive Biomarker Testing is non-negotiable, and what makes the KRAS landscape uniquely complex compared to other driver mutations.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The "Jammed Switch": How a single amino acid swap flips KRAS into overdrive and drives uncontrolled cell growth.
• From "Undruggable" to Targetable: The decades-long puzzle and the G12C breakthrough that cracked it open.
• Reading the Genetic Address: Why G12C, G12D, G12V, and G13 mutations behave like different neighborhoods on the same street — and why each one matters.
• The Biomarker Testing Imperative: Why a complete molecular workup, not a partial panel, determines the path forward.
• Beyond the Stereotypes: Debunking assumptions about who gets KRAS-driven lung cancer and why young, never-smokers belong in this conversation too.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Revolution Medicines.

About Young Lung Cancer Initiative (YLCI) The YLCI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the young-onset community. We provide support, research, and advocacy to ensure that no young person faces a lung cancer diagnosis alone.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

In the final episode of our three-part EGFR Biomarker Series, Leah Phillips of Young Lung Cancer Initiative sits down with Dr. Eric Singhi of MD Anderson Cancer Center to go beyond the basics into the topics EGFR patients ask about most.

This conversation covers small cell transformation, leptomeningeal disease (LMD), resistance mechanisms, the role of co-mutations like TP53 and RB1, and the emerging research and clinical trials shaping the future of EGFR driven lung cancer care.

Whether you've just been diagnosed or you've been living with EGFR lung cancer for years, this episode is a reminder that knowledge is power, advocacy matters, and there is real hope in this space.

Listen to Part 1 (EGFR 101) and Part 2 (Treating & Managing EGFR Lung Cancer) wherever you get your podcasts.

This series is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. Sponsorship does not influence content. Young Lung Cancer Initiative maintains full editorial control over all educational material and patient stories.

How is EGFR driven lung cancer actually treated and monitored? In Episode 2 of the YLCI EGFR Education Biomarker Series, co-founder Leah Phillips sits down with thoracic oncologist Dr. Eric Singhi of MD Anderson to talk through early-stage treatment, adjuvant TKIs, brain MRI surveillance, oligo versus poly progression, and his "chess, not checkers" approach to long-term sequencing. Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.

In the premiere of our EGFR Biomarker Series, we’re joined by Dr. Eric Singhi, a renowned thoracic oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, to demystify the biology of an EGFR positive diagnosis.

Lung cancer treatment has evolved into the "poster child" for precision medicine, but getting the right treatment starts with one critical step: Comprehensive Biomarker Testing. Dr. Singhi explains why this testing is the "gold standard" of care and uses the analogy of a "stuck switch" to describe how EGFR mutations drive uncontrolled cell growth. We also debunk common myths about who gets lung cancer and why your "street address" matters.

• The "Stuck Switch": A simple breakdown of EGFR biology.
• The Precision Medicine Revolution: Why EGFR requires a different approach than traditional chemo or immunotherapy.
• Tissue vs. Liquid Biopsy: How the "team effort" between blood and tissue samples ensures no mutation is missed.
• Finding Your "Street Address": Understanding the differences between Exon 19 deletions, L858R, and Exon 20 insertions.
• The Changing Outlook: Moving from a "months" mindset to living for years with targeted therapy.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.

The YLCI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the young-onset community. We provide support, research, and advocacy to ensure that no young person faces a lung cancer diagnosis alone.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

his episode is dedicated to Chad Dunbar, Elizabeth Campbell Moir, & all of those we have lost.

"I lost one of my nearest and dearest. Same age. Same cancer. Same mutation."

In this third and final episode of Jamie's story, Jamie and Leah have one of the most honest and raw conversations you'll find anywhere about what it really means to live with a metastatic cancer diagnosis. Jamie, living with RET positive lung cancer, and Leah, living with stage 4 EGFR lung cancer, open up about the part of this journey nobody prepares you for. The grief of losing close friends within the cancer community. The unique pain of watching someone with a similar diagnosis pass away. And what it feels like to carry that loss while still navigating your own disease.

This isn't a doctor talking at a patient. This is two women who truly understand each other in a way that only people living with a life limiting disease can... sharing their grief, their fear, their scanxiety, and ultimately their hope.

Chapters
00:00 Navigating Life After Diagnosis
02:08 Shifting Priorities and Values
05:10 Living in 90-Day Increments
07:52 Coping with Scanxiety
10:19 The Emotional Toll of Loss
12:47 The Uncertainty of Cancer
18:03 Finding Meaning in Connections

📢 Amplifying the Voices of Young-Onset Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is often caught late in young adults because "they're too young." At the Young Lung Cancer Initiative (YLCI), we are changing that narrative. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing support, research, and advocacy for the young-onset community.
New here? Hit SUBSCRIBE to help us share these stories and ensure no young person faces this diagnosis alone.

⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

While often intended as a compliment, Jamie explains why this phrase is actually one of the hardest things for a patient to hear. It can feel dismissive, invalidating the daily side effects, the mental toll, and the incurable reality of her diagnosis. It creates a gap between how the world sees her and how she actually feels. As host and patient states, "the most unhealthy healthy person you’ve ever met."

This is a struggle experienced by so many in the lung cancer community and the chronic illness community at large. Jamie shares how she’s moved past the frustration to use these moments for patient advocacy, educating others on the fact that Stage 4 doesn't always have a "look."

In this video, we discuss:

The Identity Crisis: Losing your career and athletic "old self" overnight.

Invisible Illness: Navigating the disconnect between looking healthy and being terminal.

The Power of Advocacy: Turning a "dismissive" comment into a moment for education.

Living in the Moment: Why "later" is no longer an option.

Chapters
00:00 Redefining Identity After Diagnosis
04:06 Living in the Moment: A New Perspective
07:50 The Daily Struggle: Perceptions vs. Reality
11:35 Maintaining Control: The Fight for Normalcy

#cancer #illness #lungcancer #stage4

📢 Amplifying the Voices of Young-Onset Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is often caught late in young adults because "they're too young." At the Young Lung Cancer Initiative (YLCI), we are changing that narrative. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing support, research, and advocacy for the young-onset community.
New here? Hit SUBSCRIBE to help us share these stories and ensure no young person faces this diagnosis alone.

⚠️ Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

Jamie did everything “right.” She never smoked, ate healthy, and ran every day. In this first installment of Patient Conversations with Leah, Jamie shares the moment her world flipped: receiving a Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis via her Apple Watch while working out.

After being told her cancer was Stage 1, Jamie quickly learned how fast "clear" scans can change. She joins us to discuss the "irony" of a fitness-focused life meeting a terminal diagnosis and the medical steps that ultimately saved her life.

• The "Irony" of Diagnosis: Getting the call while at the gym.
• Trusting Your Gut: Why your intuition is your best diagnostic tool.
• The Life-Saver: How a second opinion and biomarker testing changed everything.
• RET Positive: Navigating a specific, rare lung cancer mutation.

Help us change the narrative: Follow/Subscribe to help us ensure no young person faces this diagnosis alone. Learn more: ylci.org

Connect with YLCI: Instagram: @younglungcancer

00:00 – The Shock of Diagnosis

04:45 – Navigating the Impact on Family

06:46 – Staging, Treatment, and Rapid Changes

11:47 – Second Opinions & RET Positive Lung Cancer

16:42 – Finding Your Voice in Cancer Care

> Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

In the final installment of the Young Lung Cancer Initiative’s Biomarker Educational Series, Leah Phillips, Dr. Ben Creelan, and Dr. Jhanelle Gray (Moffitt Cancer Center) discuss how patients and caregivers can turn biomarker data into a powerful tool for advocacy. This episode provides a roadmap for navigating the healthcare system.

This episode is sponsored by Nuvation Bio.

Chapters:
00:00 Empowering Patients Through Biomarker Testing
01:24 Navigating Insurance and Financial Concerns
04:26 Key Questions for Patients Post-Biomarker Testing
06:42 Essential Takeaways for Lung Cancer Patients
09:29 Advocating for Comprehensive Care
12:17 Organizing Medical Information for Better Care

In Part 2 of this series, Leah Phillips continues her conversation with Dr. Ben Creelan and Dr. Jhanelle Gray from Moffitt Cancer Center. This episode transitions from the basics of diagnosis to the practical application of biomarker testing throughout the entire patient journey.

Our experts discuss how molecular profiles determine the choice between oral targeted therapies (TKIs) and traditional chemotherapy, and the impact of these options on patient quality of life.

00:00 Introduction to Biomarker Testing in Lung Cancer
02:13 The Role of Biomarkers in Treatment Decisions
05:07 Understanding Repeat Biomarker Testing
07:20 Managing Resistance Mutations and Treatment Adjustments
10:10 The Importance of Clinical Trials
12:38 Advancements in Targeted Therapies
15:22 The Future of Biomarker Testing and Patient Empowerment

This episode is proudly sponsored by Nuvation Bio

Learn what biomarker testing is and why it matters before starting treatment in lung cancer.

In Part 1 of the Young Lung Cancer Initiative Biomarker Education Series, Dr. Ben Creelan and Dr. Jhanelle Gray from Moffitt Cancer Center break down the basics of biomarker testing in plain language.

This episode is sponsored by Nuvation Bio.