Vision problem leads to man's stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, new drug extends survival

A erstwhile Ironman triathlete was stunned to study that his imagination problems were really nan first motion of shape 4 lung cancer.

Dave Nitsche, 57, was initially fixed conscionable 12 to 24 months to unrecorded – but an experimental supplier has helped him surpass that timeframe by respective years.

"In 2019, I noticed that I was having problem seeing pinch my near eye," nan Canadian man shared during an question and reply pinch Fox News Digital. "I went to nan optometrist, and they said it was astir apt a detached retina."

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After scans revealed fluid buildup and rising pressure, doctors wished that Nitsche had lost vision successful nan oculus — and yet removed it. A biopsy of nan fluid revealed that it was cancerous.

Next, Nitsche saw much specialists, who extracted fluid from his lungs for much testing. "The adjacent day, nan oncologist told maine that I had shape 4 lung cancer," he said. 

Dave Nitsche, pictured successful Calgary, Alberta successful 2025, was stunned to study that his imagination problems were really nan first motion of shape 4 lung cancer. (Dave Nitsche)

Nitsche said his doctors were "very shocked" to find that his first oculus issues had stemmed from lung crab – peculiarly because he had ne'er been a smoker.

Azam J. Farooqui, MD, a hematology and oncology expert astatine Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers successful Chandler, Arizona, agreed that Nitsche’s lawsuit was "very surprising."

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"Cancer tin find its measurement to immoderate very overseas locations, but nan oculus is simply a very, very uncommon one," Farooqui, who did not dainty Nitsche, told Fox News Digital. "Usually crab will get location via a nervus transmission aliases humor vessel, but it’s very uncommon."

Nitsche, an ex-triathlete who has done aggregate Ironman races, hadn’t knowledgeable immoderate different symptoms different than nan oculus issues. "I was moving rather a spot astatine nan time," he shared. "I had a small spot of backmost symptom present and there, but lung crab decidedly wasn’t connected my radar."

Nitsche, an ex-triathlete who has done aggregate Ironman races, hadn’t knowledgeable immoderate different symptoms different than nan oculus issues. "I had a small spot of backmost symptom present and there, but lung crab decidedly wasn’t connected my radar." (Dave Nitsche)

His first curen was a targeted therapy called afatinib, which lasted astir 3 months. When doctors recovered that nan crab had dispersed to Nitsche’s brain, he began taking different medicine called Tegrisso (osimertinib), which crosses nan blood-brain barrier.

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After six years, erstwhile those narcotics stopped working, Nitsche started taking a chemo supplier called Rybrevant (amivantamab), which he receives via IV infusion each 3 weeks successful a supervised medical setting. After a twelvemonth connected nan drug, which is manufactured by Janssen Biotech, Inc. successful Pennsylvania, his scans are looking "very, very good," he said.

"There are days that you consciousness beardown and location are days that you’re a small weaker, but you conscionable set accordingly."

"Science is catching up to maine perfectly pinch each these narcotics that I'm on," Nitsche said. "Now, we'll conscionable hold for nan adjacent point to travel on and we'll jump onto that. But for now, nan Rybrevant is moving perfectly."

Nitsche has knowledgeable a fewer broadside effects, but said for nan astir part, nan supplier he is taking is "very tolerable." (Dave Nitsche)

Nitsche has knowledgeable a fewer broadside effects, chiefly skin irritation and fingernail infections, but said for nan astir part, nan supplier is "very tolerable."

Compared to nan full-dose chemo and different lung crab treatments, Farooqui agreed that Rybrevant is "very manageable."

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Other communal broadside effects tin see infusion reactions, musculus and associated pain, rima sores, swelling, fatigue, nausea, bowel changes, vomiting, cough, shortness of activity and debased appetite, according to FDA prescribing information.

In uncommon cases, superior effects tin see lung inflammation, humor clots, terrible tegument reactions and oculus problems. Pregnant women should not return nan supplier owed to fetal risks.

Embracing his domiciled arsenic an advocate, Nitsche now speaks openly astir his acquisition and what others should know. (Dave Nitsche)

"If personification is having excessively galore broadside effects, aliases if it is emotion excessively aggressive, we tin do dose reductions," Farooqui noted. "In my experience, we've had patients do really good connected it, and we've been capable to negociate their broadside effects without immoderate awesome concerns."

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Rybrevant has now been approved to dainty definite types of non-small compartment lung crab successful nan U.S. and Canada, and Nitsche said a fewer of his friends are besides taking nan drug.

"Doctors gave maine a twelvemonth to 2 years – they told maine to get my affairs successful order. And it's been 7 years now," he said. "I’ll return it."

"For almost immoderate type of cancer, a test is not a decease sentence."

Nitsche is now preparing for a 600-mile biking expedition successful June to raise consciousness for lung cancer. He credits his endurance training and precocious fittingness level pinch helping to widen his survival. 

"There are days that you consciousness beardown and location are days that you’re a small weaker, but you conscionable set accordingly," he said.

Rybrevant has now been approved to dainty definite types of non-small compartment lung crab successful nan U.S. and Canada. (iStock)

Embracing his domiciled arsenic an advocate, Nitsche now speaks openly astir his acquisition and what others should know.

"If you person lungs, you tin get lung crab – but astatine this point, for almost immoderate type of cancer, a test is not a decease sentence," he said. "They're doing so overmuch research connected it, particularly pinch lung crab … I've known group who person lasted 12 to 18 years, truthful for me, 7 years is great. So I'll conscionable support going."

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Farooqui echoed nan value of patients "advocating for themselves and getting nan astir up-to-date therapy location is."