Clair was a preschool teacher who had never smoked when her back pain started. It was put down to her job. It turned out to be stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer. Nearly five years on, she is stable on targeted treatment and, in her words, getting on with living her life.
Back pain blamed on her job
Clair worked in Early Years. When her back pain started, it was blamed on her job and she was sent for physio. She had never smoked and was seen as too young for anything serious, so lung cancer wasn’t considered.
In January 2022, lumps appeared on her spine. An X-ray showed breaks in her spine, and Clair was diagnosed with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer.
What is ALK+ lung cancer?
ALK+ lung cancer is driven by a change in the ALK gene. It is more often found in younger people and in people who have never smoked, which means it can be missed because people don’t fit the expected picture.
It is usually treated with targeted tablets called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as alectinib, brigatinib and lorlatinib. These can keep the cancer under control for years, although they are not a cure. ALK+ lung cancer can spread to the brain, so regular brain scans are part of care.
Living with stage 4 lung cancer on brigatinib
Clair started brigatinib in February 2022 and it has kept her cancer stable since.
“I have been stable on brigatinib now since February 2022 and have been getting on with living my life.”
Last year she left her job in Early Years because it had become too tiring. Pilates has helped with her back pain. She enjoys family holidays and weekends away, and after every scan and set of results she has a treat to look forward to.
She also makes small framed positive messages, which she sells to raise money for cancer charities. At home there are seven cats.
Brain treatment and giving up her driving licence
This summer Clair needed more stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a precise, high-dose type of radiotherapy, to treat cancer in her brain. Afterwards, she had to hand back her driving licence.
“That was really disappointing as I’d only been able to drive again for a couple of months.”
Lung cancer in young people who have never smoked
Clair wants more people to know that lung cancer can affect young people. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the UK, and around 15% of people diagnosed have never smoked. Outdated stereotypes about who gets lung cancer can mean symptoms are put down to something else.
In Clair’s words, anyone with lungs can get cancer. Her advice is to trust your instincts and ask for a second opinion if something doesn’t feel right.
Symptoms of lung cancer to look out for
Clair’s first symptom was back pain. Lung cancer symptoms can include:
a cough that won’t go away
breathlessness
chest, shoulder or back pain
fatigue
a hoarse or croaky voice
unexplained weight loss
chest infections that keep coming back
coughing up blood
If you have symptoms that don’t go away, speak to your GP, even if you have never smoked. Find out more in our article Lung cancer early diagnosis saves lives: the facts.
Thank you to Clair for sharing her story with All You Need Is Lungs. Read Clair’s full 2026 story.
All You Need Is Lungs is a joint campaign from ALK Positive UK, EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK and the Ruth Strauss Foundation.
