An ALK+ diagnosis may affect you and your family in many ways. You may all need time and space to think about how ALK+ lung cancer will impact your life. It is not uncommon to feel shock, fear, anger or sadness when you are diagnosed with lung cancer. A diagnosis of ALK+ lung cancer usually comes later, as it can take additional time to receive test results. It may be a surprise to learn that you have ALK+ lung cancer, leading to many new thoughts, feelings and questions. Importantly, several treatments have been developed to slow or stop the spread of ALK+ lung cancer – these are sometimes referred to as ‘targeted therapies’. 

Your healthcare team may include a doctor who treats cancer (also called an oncologist), a doctor who treats lung conditions (also called a pneumologist, a pulmonologist or a chest expert), a specialist cancer nurse, and other experts. The decision about which treatment is best for you should be based on various factors, including: