title: [Successful treatment of non-small cell lung cancer by gefitinib in an elderly patient with poor performance status].
abstract: A 91-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea. A chest radiograph and chest CT films revealed a large amount of pleural effusion in the right side pleural cavity. After serial thoracentesis, chest CT films showed a mass shadow in the right S(6). Adenocarcinoma cells were found in the pleural effusion, leading to a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (stage IIIB). After administration of gefitinib, the mass shadow and pleural effusion reduced and her performance status improved. Gefitinib may be a well-tolerated therapeutic strategy in elderly and poor performance status patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medicine and Informatics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamaguchi
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadowaki
authors.forename: Jitsuo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higaki
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077156:Gefitinib