title: Full-dose capecitabine with local radiotherapy: one of the treatment options for inoperable T4 breast cancer.
abstract: A 48-year-old woman presented with a 15-cm diameter tumor in her left breast with fixation to the chest wall and palpable axillary lymph nodes. Pathology study showed pure-type mucinous carcinoma. Pretreatment staging investigations showed multiple lung metastases, which resulted in the diagnosis of T4N2M1 breast cancer. Four cycles of cyclophosphamide 700 mg/m(2)/epirubicin 70 mg/m(2) (CE) were performed initially, but the tumors decreased only within the treatment response criteria of stable disease (SD). The second regimen of docetaxel could not continue due to drug allergy. Two more cycles of CE did not improve the situation. Then, treatment was continued with full-dose capecitabine with local radiotherapy. She received radiotherapy to the left breast and axillary region with 60 Gy/30 fractions/6 weeks and concomitant capecitabine 2400 mg/body twice daily for 21 days; the cycles were repeated every 28 days. After radiotherapy, tumors decreased in size, and the skin ulceration disappeared. She continued to receive capecitabine on the same schedule. She now has no palpable tumor in her left breast and no tumor in the axilla or lung on CT. She is alive and well 6 years after radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirowatari
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: Kana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasai
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Gotaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orihata
authors.forename: Mitsue
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil