title: Complete Tumor Response with Afatinib 20 mg Daily in EGFR-Mutated Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report.
abstract: Afatinib, a second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is efficacious as first-line treatment in patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dosage reduction is recommended in patients with intolerable adverse events; however, data regarding the efficacy of low-dose afatinib are limited. We report the case of a 71-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC and started treatment with oral afatinib 40 mg daily. The patient achieved partial tumor response on computed tomography imaging, but developed unacceptable skin-related toxicities requiring dosage reduction to 20 mg daily. The patient subsequently achieved complete tumor response and showed improvements in performance status. These observations suggest that low-dose afatinib is effective in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who require dosage reduction for intolerable adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy. raffaelegiusti@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4592-8868
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauro
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Via di Grottarossa 1035-39, 00189, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D000077716:Afatinib; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077716:Afatinib; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors