Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy Transform Outcomes in Late-Stage Cancers Diagnosed Through Unusual Ocular Symptoms
Key Insights
Two patients with stage IV cancers—kidney and lung—were diagnosed after experiencing sudden vision changes, highlighting how atypical symptoms can reveal advanced malignancies.
Joe Gillette's stage IV kidney cancer (search) was managed with immunotherapy (search), radiation, and surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering, with ongoing oral immunotherapy keeping the disease in check.
Dave Nitsche, a never-smoker triathlete with EGFR (search)-mutant NSCLC, has survived seven years on targeted therapies including Gilotrif, Tagrisso, and Rybrevant, far exceeding an initial 1–2 year prognosis.
When Joe Gillette's morning commute suddenly showed a three-lane highway doubling into four, the 57-year-old New York resident attributed his double vision to a recent bout of COVID-19. Within weeks, a brain scan revealed stage IV kidney cancer (search) that had metastasized to his brain, lungs, bones, lymph nodes, and pancreas. Gillette had experienced no other symptoms.
"If it wasn't for COVID, I wouldn't have caught it," Gillette said. "I shudder to think what my condition would have been after waiting another six months."
Similarly, Dave Nitsche, then a 49-year-old triathlete and ultra-runner in Calgary, noticed blurry vision in late 2019. Straight objects appeared wavy. By the time he saw his optometrist days later, he had fully lost vision in one eye. Three weeks of testing led to a diagnosis of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (search) (NSCLC) that had spread to his eye, bones, liver, kidneys, and brain.
"It was definitely a shock," said Nitsche, now 57, who had never smoked and had no family history of lung cancer.
Both cases illustrate how advanced cancers can present through ocular symptoms, and how therapeutic innovations are reshaping outcomes for patients who would have faced grim prognoses just a decade ago.
A Dire Prognosis Reversed with Immunotherapy
Gillette's oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Martin Voss, described his condition as dire. According to the American Cancer Society, fewer than 20% of stage IV kidney cancer (search) patients survive five years.
Voss initiated an aggressive treatment regimen combining immunotherapy (search) with radiation, followed by brain surgery to address two tumors. The procedure was complex, requiring Gillette to be placed in a 10-week medically induced coma. When he awoke, he was stunned to learn how much time had passed.
"I woke up, I tried to get out of bed to go to the men's room, and the nurse came in, 'What are you doing?'" Gillette recalled. "She goes 'You can't go to the men's room.' I said, 'I just did this afternoon!' She says 'You've been here for two and a half months.' I was so shocked."
After physical and occupational therapy, Gillette received additional radiation. The therapy proved effective, shrinking his tumors. Two years of immunotherapy (search) followed, which Gillette said produced no major side effects. In April 2024, surgeons removed the original kidney tumor, and he was discharged three days later.
Today, Gillette takes a daily oral immunotherapy (search) and sees Voss every six to eight weeks. Regular MRIs and endoscopies monitor for new disease. When occasional growths appear, targeted radiation and immunotherapy have kept the cancer in check.
"There's a huge effort that we undertake to ascertain that we remain in good control of the situation, and that we understand any new developments and act upon them," Voss said.
Dr. Alpa Patel, senior vice president at the American Cancer Society and a friend of Gillette's who was not involved in his care, emphasized the significance of the therapeutic advances. "He has responded to treatments that a decade ago didn't exist," Patel said. "The cancer is very much under control and being monitored really well, and they are able to minimize the effects to his overall quality of life as well."
Seven Years and Counting: Targeted Therapy for EGFR-Mutant NSCLC
Nitsche faced an even starker initial prognosis: his doctor estimated a one- to two-year life expectancy. Because his cancer had spread extensively through his lungs, he was told he had "no chance" with traditional chemotherapy or radiation at that stage.
Instead, Nitsche was offered targeted therapies based on the specific EGFR (search) mutation driving his lung cancer. He began on Gilotrif (afatinib), an oral medication that inhibits cell growth signaling in tumors. He later transitioned to Tagrisso (osimertinib), which targets brain metastases by binding to mutated proteins and stopping them from signaling cancer cell division.
Nitsche remained on Tagrisso for six years—far exceeding his expected survival. He has since received radiation for a small brain lesion and is now on Rybrevant (amivantamab), a targeted antibody therapy that blocks cancer growth signals and helps the immune system attack cancer cells.
"The timing of all these drugs was great," Nitsche said. "As it turns out, I'm seven years in, so it's been a ride, that's for sure."
A recent CT scan showed significant tumor shrinkage, with some nodules resolving and being replaced by scar tissue. Side effects have been manageable—primarily skin issues such as acne and fingernail infections—allowing Nitsche to maintain an active lifestyle. Now retired, he bikes 20 minutes each way to medical appointments and is training for his second BC Epic 1000, a nearly 700-mile bike race across British Columbia.
"I joke that I live three months at a time, between scans and MRIs and CTs, but three months is better than no months," Nitsche said.
The Diagnostic Challenge in Never-Smokers
NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Unlike small cell lung cancer, NSCLC cells generally appear larger, and common symptoms such as coughing, chest pain, or fatigue can be mild—allowing the disease to progress to stage III or IV before detection.
While smoking remains the largest risk factor, other contributors include radon exposure, asbestos, metal and mineral dust, air pollution, and prior radiation therapy. Currently, no annual lung cancer screening recommendations exist for never-smokers in the United States. The CDC recommends annual low-dose CT screening only for asymptomatic adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20-pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
Nitsche's oncologist noted that his higher-than-average VO2 max—a measure of aerobic capacity—may have aided his ability to endure treatments. "It's definitely helped me in this journey, for sure," Nitsche said.
Living with Uncertainty
Both men continue to navigate life between scans. Gillette, now a grandfather and soon to see another child married, remains active with the American Cancer Society, the organization he volunteered with for a decade before his own diagnosis.
"I'm grateful every day, not for what happened to me, but to have had that support and gotten through it," Gillette said. "I'm more than happy where I am. I'll sign off and do this for the rest of my life, if it just keeps me around."
Nitsche echoes a similar philosophy shaped by defying expectations. "It's kind of surreal: You get past that first year and go, 'Oh, well, prove them wrong,'" he said. "Then you get past the two years and go, 'Oh, I'll prove them wrong again.'"