Erlotinib therapy in a patient with non-small-cell lung cancer and brain metastases.
Brain metastases are a common occurrence and a major cause of mortality in non-small-cell lung cancer, with few systemic treatment options. Although targeting epidermal growth factor receptor-associated tyrosine kinase with erlotinib and gefitinib results in durable responses in some patients, the activity of these drugs against brain metastases has been poorly documented. In particular, few reports have so far reported the activity of erlotinib in this setting. Here we report the case of a male Italian smoker with an adeno-carcinoma of the lung whose lung cancer and brain metastases have both responded to erlotinib.
Department of Medical Oncology (Pad. H 5 degrees piano), University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy. galtavilla@unime.it
Giuseppe
G
Altavilla
Carmela
C
Arrigo
Maria Carmela
MC
Santarpia
Giuseppe
G
Galletti
Giovanni
G
Picone
Grazia
G
Marabello
Chiara
C
Tomasello
Vincenzo V
VV
Pitini
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride