[A case of meningeal carcinomatosis of lung adenocarcinoma well controlled by re-treatment with gefitinib]

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2009 Dec;36(13):2615-7.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

A 74-year-old-woman who had never smoked was diagnosed in 2004 with cT3N2M1, stage IV primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma. After seven courses of chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel, she was given gefitinib as second-line therapy and made satisfactory progress. However, gefitinib was discontinued after 3 years of treatment due to re-growth of the tumors. She was then given chemotherapy with docetaxel as a third-line therapy. Over the course of time, meningeal carcinomatosis occurred in conjunction with her previous disease. Upon re-treatment with gefitinib, her meningeal carcinomatosis showed some improvement despite the growing primary tumor, so her QOL was improved. She is now visiting a hospital as an outpatient. When analysis of the EGFR gene mutant was conducted, deletion mutation of E746-A750 in exon 19 was revealed in the 2004 pulmonary tissue, as well as the cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid and pulmonary tissue after recurrence. No change has been observed. Once gefitinib proved effective, re-treatment with gefitinib was considered useful after its discontinuation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Carcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Gefitinib
  • Genes, erbB-1 / genetics
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Mutation
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Quinazolines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Quinazolines
  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel
  • Gefitinib