Does gefitinib have effects on EGFR mutation-positive thymoma? -Case report of thymoma recurrence.
A 56-year-old woman heavily pretreated for a thymoma was referred to our hospital with recurrence. Following additional surgery, the tumor recurred again in the left thoracic cavity. Because of previous multiple operations and repeated chemotherapies, the patient was considered unable to tolerate additional surgery or chemotherapy. After we obtained positive evidence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, she was administrated gefitinib for 3 months. Although immunohistochemistry findings showed that the tumor was EGFR positive, gefitinib therapy led no reduction of the tumor size. After undergoing immunotherapy, the patient suffered from repeated occurrences of pneumonia, and died from respiratory failure.
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Tomoyuki
T
Nakagiri
Soichiro
S
Funaki
Yoshihisa
Y
Kadota
Yukiyasu
Y
Takeuchi
Hiroyuki
H
Shiono
Akinori
A
Akashi
Meinoshin
M
Okumura
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012086:Reoperation; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013945:Thymoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib