Gefitinib for asymptomatic brain metastasis from advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Report of a favourable outcome

Thorac Cancer. 2016 Jul;7(4):498-502. doi: 10.1111/1759-7714.12335. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Abstract

Brain metastasis (BM) is common in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have now been included as standard treatment options for NSCLC harboring EGFR-activating mutations, only a few prospective reports demonstrate the efficacy of these agents in a BM setting. We report a case of a patient with advanced NSCLC, in which oral gefitinib documented a significant antitumor effect on parallel progression of extracranial lesion and BM occurred during chemotherapy.

Keywords: Brain metastasis; gefitinib; non‐small‐cell lung cancer; radiotherapy; tyrosine kinase inhibitor.