Patient Stories

• After standard treatments stopped working, Jeff explored a lung cancer clinical trial that offered a new path forward.
• Drawn by both innovative research and a compassionate care team, he traveled from Wisconsin to the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center for treatment.
• More than three years after his diagnosis, Jeff credits clinical trials, trusted care and a focus on quality of life with helping him continue doing what he loves.

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Centeris accelerating the path to better options. Through research and innovative techniques, our clinicians are revolutionizing care for this deadly disease, from screening and early detection to treatment.​

Explore why we’re different by calling 513-585-UCCC (8222).

Jeff’s Search for Treatment Options

When Jeff was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, he asked the question every patient fears.

How much time do I have?

The answer was sobering: about 18 months.

"It was a shock," Jeff says. "I was expecting at least years, even if they weren't many as opposed to months”

Jeff's care team in Wisconsin immediately began standard of care chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. He had confidence in his doctors and trusted their recommendations. But despite their efforts, his cancer continued to progress.

That's when the conversation turned to clinical trials.

For Jeff, the decision wasn't simply about finding another treatment. It was about finding the best possible path forward while maintaining the quality of life that mattered so much to him.

"I had already decided I didn't want traditional chemotherapy," he says. "I was looking for something that gave me a reasonable chance of continuing to live my life."

Exploring a Lung Cancer Clinical Trial at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center

As his physicians explored available research studies, one option stood out: an innovative clinical trial at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center using tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, a treatment that uses a patient's own immune cells to help fight cancer.

The opportunity would require significant travel. Jeff lives near Green Bay, Wisconsin, hundreds of miles from Cincinnati.

But distance wasn't the deciding factor.

The people were.

"When inquiries were sent to different institutions, not everyone responded," Jeff recalls. "Some places weren't returning calls. Cincinnati did. They were compassionate from the very beginning."

That first interaction set the tone for everything that followed.

Traveling for Cancer Care: Why Trust in a Care Team Matters

Today, Jeff has traveled to Cincinnati countless times for appointments, scans and treatment. Yet he never questions whether the trips are worth it.

"As I'm traveling, I just know I'm receiving the best care I can get," he says. "That confidence means everything."

For patients facing cancer, trust becomes essential. Jeff describes it simply: when you're dealing with a serious illness, you have to place yourself in other people's hands.

"You don't have the knowledge or ability to do it yourself," he says. "The doctors and staff here have given me confidence that I'm being taken care of as well as I possibly could be."

The Compassion Behind Every Step of the Patient Experience

That confidence extends far beyond the physicians.

Jeff speaks with deep gratitude about the nurses, research staff and clinical trial coordinators who have guided him throughout his journey.

"The care I've received has been exceptional at every level," he says. "Not just the doctors, but the research team, the nurses, everyone. It's not only their knowledge and expertise. It's their compassion."

How TIL Therapy Uses the Immune System to Fight Cancer

For Jeff, participating in a clinical trial wasn't simply about gaining access to a new treatment. It was about having another chance when standard options had run out.

Clinical trials can feel intimidating. Jeff describes them as "jumping off a ledge." Yet he also knows that many of today's most effective cancer treatments only exist because patients before him were willing to take that leap.

"I think a lot of people are alive today because of clinical trials," he says.

His trial uses a patient's own immune cells to attack cancer. Doctors collect a sample of tumor tissue, isolate immune cells that are already recognizing the cancer, grow those cells in a laboratory, and then return millions of them to the patient's body to strengthen the immune response.

The treatment isn't easy. But for Jeff, it offered something that mattered deeply: hope.

And it has given him something else.

Time.

Living Beyond Cancer: More Than Three Years Later

More than three years after being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, Jeff continues doing what he loves most: riding his bike.

Cycling is more than exercise for him. It's freedom. It's meditation. It's exploration.

"I get on my bike and think, this is exactly what I want to be doing," he says.

Those rides remind him that life is still meant to be lived.

That's why quality of life has always remained at the center of every decision he has made.

"Quality over quantity," he says. "That's what matters."

Continuing Care, Gratitude and Looking Ahead

Today, Jeff continues to return to Cincinnati for follow-up care and monitoring. He knows there may be future decisions to make, but he also knows he has a team ready to help him navigate whatever comes next.

"I'd like to stay with the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center as long as possible," he says. "They know me. I know them. Things can move quickly when they need to."

Then he pauses and reflects on a journey that no one would choose, but one that has introduced him to people he will never forget.

"It's been a privilege to get to know the people here," Jeff says. "Nobody wants to be in this situation, but it's led me to some remarkable people. And for that, I feel very grateful."

Why Choose the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center for Lung Cancer Care?

At the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, we're accelerating the path to better lung cancer treatments—the key to helping patients live better, longer lives. Through advanced technology, groundbreaking research and compassionate, personalized care, we provide more options and more reasons for hope.

• Compassionate, whole-person support: Our team provides access to social work, nutrition and counseling services that support your emotional and physical well-being.
• More options through clinical trials: With more than 15 active lung cancer clinical trials, patients have access to innovative therapies and treatment approaches that may not be available elsewhere.
• Advanced technology for earlier, more precise care: From robotic bronchoscopy that reaches hard-to-access lung nodules to advanced localization technology that helps ensure accurate biopsies the first time, we use leading-edge tools to diagnose and treat lung cancer with exceptional precision.

Explore why we're different: Call 513-585-UCCC (8222)