title: Erlotinib-induced complete response in a patient with epidermal growth factor receptor wild-type lung adenocarcinoma after chemotherapy failure: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy of erlotinib in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer has been demonstrated in several trials, but only two cases of complete and prolonged response in wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor locally advanced lung cancer have been published.
  
  
  METHODS
  We discuss a case of a 67-year-old Caucasian man, a former heavy cigarette smoker, with a diagnosis of wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor locally advanced adenocarcinoma. After platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, when a progression of disease had occurred, a second-line therapy with erlotinib was started. We observed a progressive reduction of his lung lesion during erlotinib treatment until there was a complete clinical response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case is interesting for the choice of second-line treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer and, moreover, for the possibility of a complete and prolonged response to erlotinib even in patients without the activating mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor.
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppa
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: UOSC Oncologia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale "Antonio Cardarelli", Naples, Italy. nando.riccardi@alice.it.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riccardi
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mocerino
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galloro
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cartenì