Research Saves Lives: A Duke Clinical Trial Provides a Lifeline for Lung Cancer Patient

On a recent evening, Alfonzo Grafton arrived at the Blue Note Grill, an iconic cultural institution in Durham’s downtown district. Grafton, a 6-foot-10-inch tall former college athlete, found a table near the crowded bar. The bespectacled 73-year-old was looking forward to a night of dancing to live music. The fact that Grafton was at the Blue Note Grill, and ready to dance no less, was remarkable.  Two years ago, Grafton learned he had stage 4 lung cancer. But thanks to a clinical trial at Duke funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), he had a lifeline…