title: [Two cases of recurrent breast cancer with regional lymph node metastases showing a complete response to trastuzumab and paclitaxel treatment].
abstract: We report two cases of recurrent breast cancer with regional lymph node metastases that responded completely to treatment with trastuzumab and paclitaxel. Case 1: A 52-year-old woman, who presented with left breast cancer, underwent mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection in July 2002. Pathological findings were as follows: invasive ductal carcinoma (scirrhous type), 2.2 cm in size, histological grade 3, positive invasion to the lymphatic and blood vessels, negative nodal status (0/11), negative ER/PgR status, and overexpression of HER 2/neu. Left axillary lymph node metastasis was noted after five months, ie, in December 2002. Four cycles of chemotherapy with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide were administered from January 2003; however, they were not effective. The patient showed a complete response after three months of chemotherapy with trastuzumab and paclitaxel. This treatment was stopped in September 2003. She has maintained a complete response for two and a half years and was not administered any further treatment as of February 2006. Case 2: A 59-year-old woman, who presented with right breast cancer, underwent mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection in May 2002. Pathological findings were as follows: invasive ductal carcinoma (scirrhous type), 1.8 cm in size, histological grade 2, positive invasion to the lymphatic and blood vessels, negative nodal status (0/5), positive ER and uncertain PgR status, and overexpression of HER 2/neu. She had received adjuvant hormonal therapy with tamoxifen; however, a right supraclavicular lymph node metastasis was noted in October 2004. Treatment with exemestane was not effective. However, a complete response was observed with trastuzumab and paclitaxel for four months. She has maintained a complete response for six months and was not administered any further treatment as of February 2006.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Labour Health and Welfare Organization, Kumamoto Rosai Hospital.
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohsako
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Norihide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagamoto
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nakahara
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012074:Remission Induction; D000068878:Trastuzumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D017239:Paclitaxel; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab