Cancer Res Treat.  2007 Mar;39(1):37-39.

Sequential Responses of Adenocarcinoma of the Lung to Erlotinib after Gefitinib in Never Smoker Korean Woman

• Kim HK
• Ahn MI
• Yoo J
• Kim CH
• Yang HJ
• Shim BY

Abstract

A patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung was treated sequentially using two kinds of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gefitinib and erlotinib. The patient was a 73-year-old female who received gefitinib as a second line treatment, which resulted in a partial response with response duration of 6 months. After progression of the disease, the patient received erlotinib, which resulted in partial response again with response duration of 11.5 months. This observation suggests that treatment with erlotinib may be effective in patients who develop progressive disease after a primary treatment with gefitinib following an initial response.

Keyword

Lung neoplasm; Targeted therapy; Erlotinib; Gefitinib

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma*
Aged
Female
Humans
Lung Neoplasms
Lung*
Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
Erlotinib Hydrochloride
Protein-Tyrosine Kinases

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Initial chest PA (September, 2003) shows a 3.7 cm sized lobulated mass in the right infrahilar region, with innumerable small round nodules in both lungs.

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  Fig. 2 Follow-up chest PA (February, 2004) shows slightly increased size of the primary lung ca. and metastatic nodules in both lungs.

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  Fig. 3 Chest PA during Getifinib therapy (May, 2004) shows decreased size of the primary lung ca. and metastatic lung nodules.

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  Fig. 4 Chest PA at the start of Erlotinib treatment (April, 2005) shows marked aggravation of metastatic nodules in both lungs, obscuring the right middle lobe lung ca..

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  Fig. 5 Chest PA during Erlotinib treatment (October, 2005) represents markedly regressed diffuse metastatic nodules in both lungs. Right pleural effusion appears to be unchanged.

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