Dr Sydney Barned on side effects when acceptable becomes unacceptable

We are incredibly grateful for the therapies that have transformed stage 4 lung cancer from months into years for many people. But gratitude and challenge can exist at the same time. Our cancer medicines save lives—but they also come with side effects, and over time those toxicities can impact us and also accumulate over time. At ASCO 2026, Dr. Sydney Barned — physician, patient advocate, and someone living with stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer — presented important work asking a powerful question: “When does acceptable become unacceptable?” In this thoughtful conversation, Dr. Barned joins ALK Positive Board Member and Co-founder of ‪@OncogeneCancerResearch‬ Yvonne Diaz to discuss the reality of balancing treatment effectiveness with quality of life. Together, they explore: • The paradox of gratitude and challenge in metastatic lung cancer • Managing side effects from targeted therapy • Why patients should report symptoms early and often • Shared decision-making between patients and physicians • Visible vs. invisible treatment toxicities • Mental health, body image, and survivorship • How doctors and patients can better communicate about quality of life • Living fully while navigating stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer Whether you are a patient, caregiver, advocate, researcher, or healthcare professional, this conversation offers valuable insight into the lived experience of long-term cancer survivorship. 📌 Featured Guest: Dr. Sydney Barned Physician | ASCO26 Presenter | Patient Advocate Living with stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer Follow Sydney on Instagram:   / dryolaolo   and Facebook:   / dryolaolo   🎙 Guest hosted by: Yvonne Diaz ALK Positive Board Member Co-founder, ‪@OncogeneCancerResearch‬ Living with stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer ⏱ Chapters 00:00 The Importance of Reporting Toxicities 01:32 Visual vs. Invisible Side Effects 12:07 Navigating Eye Problems and Other Side Effects 16:03 Uncovering Eye Toxicities 20:47 The Importance of Anticipatory Guidance 22:10 Advice for Physicians and Patients 26:29 Personal Journey: From Symptoms to Diagnosis #LungCancer #ALKPositive #Stage4LungCancer #TargetedTherapy #CancerSurvivorship #PatientAdvocacy #ASCO2026 #LungCancerAwareness #CancerResearch #QualityOfLife #Oncology #ALK + + About our ALKtALKs and ALK Positive Inc + + + ALKtALKs are our flagship community program aimed at making our ALK community a little smarter and a little smaller, by bringing the latest information, research and practices from leading experts. ALK Positive does not endorse specific treatments and does not provide medical advice. Questions and concerns should be raised with individual care teams. ALK Positive is a 501(c)(3)-registered, patient-driven organization that seeks a cure for ALK+ cancer and works to improve patients’ quality of life and life expectancy worldwide. ALK Positive is committed to raising funds for research proposals that will transform ALK-positive cancer into a chronic or curable condition for all patients living with this disease. We offer a full range of Healing Arts classes to help our community balance a productive life, treatment side effects and the mental stress of a cancer diagnosis. These include ALKtALKs -- our flagship community program aimed at making our ALK community a little smarter and a little smaller, by bringing the latest information, research and practices from leading experts. For more information about us, go to www.alkpositive.org. To donate 💖 go to https://www.alkpositive.org/ways-to-give 📢 Follow us on social media & join the conversation online! Facebook 📘 / alkpositivecancer Instagram 📸 / alkpositiveinc LinkedIn 💼 / alkpositivecancer X (Twitter) ✖️ https://x.com/ALKPositiveinc TikTok 🎵 / alkpositiveinc BlueSky ☁️ https://bsky.app/profile/alkpositive....