Vision problem leads to man's stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, new drug extends survival
Dave Nitsche, a 57-year-old former Ironman triathlete from Canada, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer after experiencing vision problems that led to the loss of his left eye. Despite being given 12 to 24 months to live in 2019, he has survived over seven years thanks to experimental treatments. His case is unusual because he is a non-smoker and the cancer spread to his eye, a rare occurrence.
- ▪Dave Nitsche was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer after vision issues led to the removal of his left eye.
- ▪He was given 12 to 24 months to live in 2019 but has survived over seven years due to experimental drug treatments.
- ▪Nitsche is a non-smoker, making his lung cancer diagnosis particularly unusual.
- ▪The cancer spreading to the eye is very rare and typically occurs through nerve channels or blood vessels.
- ▪Dr. Azam J. Farooqui, an oncologist not involved in Nitsche's treatment, described the case as 'very surprising.'
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Health Vision problem leads to man's stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, new drug extends survival Triathlete was given 12 to 24 months to live, but has survived seven years on experimental treatments By Melissa Rudy Fox News Published May 4, 2026 7:00am EDT Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Cancer patient beats survival odds with new chemo medication: 'I'll take it' Dave Nitsche, 57, was initially given just 12 to 24 months to live – but an experimental drug has helped him surpass that timeframe by several years. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A former Ironman triathlete was stunned to learn that his vision problems were actually the first sign of stage 4 lung cancer.
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