A case of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma successfully treated with low-dose, alternate-day administration of erlotinib
Yuyama, K.; Matsushita, H.; Egawa, K.; Osawa, T.; Tsubouchi, Y.; Takahashi, T.; Miura, H.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer and ChemoTherapy 39(3): 433-435
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 0385-0684 PMID: 22421774 Document Number: 656439
Erlotinib is a selective epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which shows favorable antitumor activity against chemorefractory lung carcinoma, especially with EGFR gene mutations. We experienced a case in which oxy- genation and performance status improved in with low-dose erlotinib of 100mg/day administered every other day incidental- ly, although a dose of erlotinib 150mg/day daily is encouraged by the RECIST guideline. A 77-year-old male was diagnosed with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma(BAC)and given first-line combination chemotherapy of carboplatin and pemetrexed. However, antitumor activity was not satisfactory. His performance status(PS)was scored as 2 and home oxygen therapy (HOT)was introduced. As second-line chemotherapy, erlotinib was administered 100mg/day daily. However, the patient took the medication every other day at his own discretion, due to severe eruption and itching sensation. Since this case is classified as a nonmeasurable lesion according to the RECIST guideline, it was difficult to measure antitumor activity by tumor size. But improvement of oxygenation, with a performance status score of 0 and normalization of serum CEA level suggested that erlonitib administration of 100mg/day every other day showed antitumor activity.