Medical director joins campaign to promote biomarker testing in lung cancer

May 8—Dr. Daniel Cadigan noticed in early 2013 he had developed a persistent cough, and he began to feel chest congestion.

He had gone through the previous two winters feeling short of breath, and had a history of asthma. But at age 46, the physician didn't become overly concerned about his lungs, merely chalking it up to normal effects of working out less and aging.

But the conditions continued. A chest X-ray revealed he had pneumonia in his right lung. Months later, he found out he had stage 1 lung cancer. Then came a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer.

He had never smoked in his life.

"Like every other patient, I automatically started googling things online," said Dr. Cadigan, who was named medical director of the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department last year. "I'm looking at stage 4 lung cancer and saying, 'OK this is a one percent, five-year survival, and much more grim beyond five years.' At that point my kids were 12 and nine years of age, and I said I just want to make sure I make it through to see my kids graduate high school."

Dr. Cadigan failed chemotherapy, and his cancer had a mutation. But through comprehensive biomarker testing, he became a candidate for targeted therapy — therapy he said has extended his life, both in quality and quantity.

"I've been able to live a full and normal life with my family because of the genomic testing I had and the ability for that to keep the cancer in check," said Dr. Cadigan, who previously was the Ottawa County coroner from 2013 to 2020.

Doing well and continuing his work as an active physician, he's reflecting on how he has been able to live a normal life in the wake of a dire diagnosis.

Biomarker testing identifies how unique a particular person's cancer is and helps guide an appropriate specialized treatment plan. For patients such as Dr. Cadigan who have had a cancer mutation, it's a critical component to keeping the cancer in check or helping it die off.

"The importance of getting that testing is so that you get the right therapy at the right time," Dr. Cadigan said. "And so you can limit therapies that are more toxic."

In April, the LUNGevity Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding scientific lung-cancer research, launched the No One Missed campaign, an effort to improve access to biomarker testing among patients.

Dr. Cadigan joined the campaign, noting that he has had patients who have not received access to biomarker testing after only developing stage 1 cancer. But through his own experience, he hopes to highlight why this particular testing is important in all stages of lung cancer.

"Things are changing so rapidly in terms of cancer diagnosis and treatments," Dr. Cadigan said. "The big thing is knowing if these mutations are there, knowing what the cancer's genetic makeup is so you can treat it. And you're staying alive, and hopefully having a good quality of life until the next big treatment comes out.... I can educate from my own perspective because I go back to 2013 and I went in as a suspected stage 1.

"Ten years ago you didn't have options, so that's been a sea change," he said.

First Published May 7, 2021, 9:02am