title: Rapid tumor shrinkage with lapatinib plus capecitabine in a patient with massive liver involvement.
abstract: We present the case of a 58-year-old woman with breast cancer metastasizing to the liver after adjuvant chemotherapy. A liver biopsy confirmed metastatic lesions from breast cancer that were immunohistochemically positive for estrogen/progesterone receptors and HER2. After first-line treatment with trastuzumab and vinorelbine, the patient commenced therapy with capecitabine (1000 mg/m2 twice daily, days 1-14) and lapatinib (1250 mg/day). Three months after the administration of this combination therapy, the liver metastases had shrunk substantially. Lapatinib may have the potential to convert trastuzumab-refractory tumors to trastuzumab-sensitive tumors in HER2-positive breast cancer by upregulation of the cell surface expression of HER2. Further study will be needed to evaluate in the clinic the combination of lapatinib and an m-TOR inhibitor as a treatment approach in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer that shows a poor response to trastuzumab.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Giotta
authors: Agnese
authors: A
authors: Latorre
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Cramarossa
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Simone
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Florio
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Oliva
authors: Vito
authors: V
authors: Lorusso
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D000077341:Lapatinib; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000077341:Lapatinib; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human