Vito's story

Last updated: 13 October 2022

Vito's story

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Italy, 2018

My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and had been treated with a standard chemotherapy combination therapy and Xalkori (crizotinib), the other first in class before Alecensa, but after one and half years she stopped the treatment because the disease was still progressing. In Italy at that time, there was no specific medication for lung cancer. However, the doctor told me about a new medicine that had passed clinical trials and was being approved by the EMA. She said we have to wait six months for the medicine to become available. However, my mother my mother's condition was rapidly degenerating and was in a lot of pain, she had bad side effects from oxycodone, so I didn't believe we could wait.  I said to her, the doctor, what is the name of the medicine and it's posology? She told me about Alecensa and I started looking for it online immediately. I came across everyone.org internet site on my mobile phone and took a decision within minutes – I was still talking with the doctor when I made my decision to use everyone.org's service.

After receiving the medicine, I could see almost immediate results in my mother. However, I also wanted to better understand the impact of side effects on her too. She does exhibit many of the side effects, but her quality of life has improved. Without this medicine, she would've only lived another 1-2 months.

Date: January 2018

Medicine: Alecensa (alectinib)