Firstlight

Free & open source · macOS & Windows · Local-first

Know what's new
for the person you love.

Firstlight quietly monitors oncology research — new clinical trials, published studies, and drug updates — matches it against a private patient profile, and prepares a source-backed report you can bring to your oncology team.

Download for macOS Download for Windows View on GitHub

Your data never leaves your device. No account, no cloud, no cost.

Updated July 2026 — see what's new →

Why Firstlight exists

Firstlight was built in memory of Judy Coffey.

When she was facing colorectal cancer, I built a tool to dig through the research for her — and it surfaced a promising drug combination from recent trials. We brought it to her oncologist, and he agreed it was worth trying. She passed in April 2025, before she could begin.

Firstlight exists so that no other family has to find what matters too late.

The name is the promise: first light is when the day's new research lands — and when you sit down with your coffee and, in a few minutes, know what's new for the person you love.

How it works

A few minutes to set up. A few minutes each morning.

  1. Set up a private profile

    Diagnosis, biomarkers, treatments so far, and what matters to your family. It stays on your device.

  2. Firstlight watches trusted sources

    While the app is open, it checks registries and journals for new trials, studies, and drug updates that may relate.

  3. Findings come with evidence — and cautions

    Every item shows its source, why it surfaced, why it might not fit, and what information is still missing.

  4. Bring a report to your oncology team

    Export a clear PDF with the findings, the evidence behind them, and discussion questions for your next visit.

What it watches

Early signals from trusted public sources — always with a citation you can check.

  • ClinicalTrials.gov

    New and updated clinical trials, including recruiting status and locations.

  • PubMed

    Peer-reviewed oncology literature, with abstract-aware evidence snippets.

  • FDA drug updates

    Approvals, label changes, and safety communications for relevant therapies.

  • Preprints (Europe PMC)

    Early research before peer review — clearly marked as preliminary.

Every finding links back to its source, with dates and the reasoning behind it.

Built private, because it had to be

A loved one's medical details are among the most personal things a family holds. Firstlight is local-first by design — not as a feature, but as a starting point.

  • Data stays on your device

    The patient profile, findings, and reports live in a local database on your computer. There is no Firstlight server and no account to create.

  • Encrypted at rest

    Identifying fields are encrypted on disk, with the master key held in your operating system's keychain.

  • Optional, de-identified AI assist

    Off by default. If you choose to enable it, identifying details still never leave your device — only minimized, de-identified oncology context is shared, after explicit disclosure.

  • Open source — AGPL-3.0

    Anyone can read the code and verify these claims. The license keeps Firstlight, and everything built on it, open for the families it was made for.

What Firstlight is — and what it is not

Firstlight is an information monitoring and summarization tool. It helps families stay current and organized. It does not practice medicine.

  • It is not medical advice and not a substitute for an oncologist.
  • It is not a diagnostic system and makes no diagnostic claims.
  • It does not determine treatment, trial eligibility, or medical appropriateness.
  • It never ranks "best treatments" — its language stays cautious: may be relevant, worth discussing, requires clinician review.

Every finding requires review by your clinical team.

Frequently asked questions

Is Firstlight free?
Yes. Firstlight is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. There is no account to create and no subscription.
Does my data leave my device?
No. Firstlight is local-first. The patient profile, findings, and reports live in a local database on your computer. There is no Firstlight server.
Does Firstlight give medical advice?
No. Firstlight is an information monitoring and summarization tool. It does not practice medicine, diagnose, or determine treatment. Every finding requires review by your clinical team.
What sources does Firstlight watch?
ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, FDA drug updates, and Europe PMC preprints. Every finding links back to its source with a citation you can check.
What platforms does Firstlight support?
Firstlight runs on macOS and Windows as a desktop application.

Help shape Firstlight

A feature you wish it had, a source it should watch, or an offer to help build it — this goes straight to me. Firstlight is open source and built for families; your input matters.

Tomorrow morning, with your coffee

Set it up tonight. By morning, you'll know what's new.

Download for macOS Download for Windows View on GitHub