A case of breast cancer with multiple lung metastases: complete response achieved after trastuzumab and weekly paclitaxel therapy and sustained over 8 years after withdrawal of these drugs

Abstract

We report a case of breast cancer with multiple metastases that achieved a complete response (CR) after trastuzumab and weekly paclitaxel (PTX) therapy and sustained CR for over 8 years after withdrawal of these drugs. The patient was a 64-year-old postmenopausal woman with a non-contributory medical history. In September 2001, she underwent a pectoral muscle-conserving mastectomy with axillary dissection for a right-sided breast cancer. The pathological diagnosis was papillotubular carcinoma, n = 9/34, nuclear grade 3, ly1, v0, estrogen receptor (-), progesterone receptor (-), and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (3+) (pT2N2aM0-stageIIIA). Postoperative adjuvant therapy was performed using six cycles of cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and fluorouracil. Subsequently, oral tegafur-uracil was administered, but multiple lung metastases developed in October 2002. The patient began treatment with trastuzumab and weekly PTX and achieved CR 9 months later in July 2003. Thus, trastuzumab and weekly PTX therapy was discontinued as per the patient's request. The treatment was changed to oral doxifluridine and a complete response had been sustained as of August 2007. Since the patient requested drug withdrawal, doxifluridine treatment was discontinued thereafter. However, there has been no recurrence even without treatment. © 2012 The Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.