title: Regression of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis with celecoxib and erlotinib combination therapy.
abstract: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) can be difficult to manage. Symptoms are related to recurrent tracheobronchial papillomas and are usually treated with bronchoscopic removal. Other modalities are added when the papilloma burden becomes too great or recurrence is too frequent, but with limited efficacy. We report a patient with progressive RRP that had become refractory to available therapy. Because papillomas overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor, along with increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2, it was reasoned that a combination therapy of erlotinib and celecoxib would be effective in controlling papilloma growth. After institutional approval and informed patient consent, this combination was initiated. There was a striking improvement in the number and appearance of respiratory tract papillomas, with elimination of the need for repeated papilloma removal. Pretreatment and posttreatment images document this response, and the improvement has now been maintained for nearly 2 years with effective therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Atikun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Limsukon
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Irawan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Susanto
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Guy W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Soo Hoo
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dubinett
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: rbatra@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Batra
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D000068579:Celecoxib; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010212:Papilloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011799:Quinazolines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000068579:Celecoxib