Vol 15, No 2 (2019)
Case report
Published online: 2019-05-17
The effectiveness of chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer patients with BRCA2 gene mutation and Schwartz-Bartter syndrome
Oncol Clin Pract 2019;15(2):120-123.
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) currently comprises 15–20% of all lung cancers. It is characterised by rapid growth and early appearance of distant metastases. It is closely related to smoking. A characteristic feature of this type of cancer is the frequent coexistence of paraneoplastic syndromes (about 50% of patients). Paraneoplastic syndromes are clinically important because they can be the first sign of cancer. Early diagnosis of disturbing symptoms is an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of treatment and the patient’s chance for longer survival. The most frequent and important paraneoplastic syndromes in the course of SCLC are primarily the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone hypersecretion (SIADH), paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome. This paper presents the case of a patient who came to the hospital with symptoms of hyponatraemia. Looking for the causes of hyponatraemia, the syndrome of abnormal secretion of antidiuretic hormone (Schwartz-Bartter syndrome) in the course of small cell lung cancer was confirmed. The fact that the patient was genetically burdened with the family history of breast cancer and was a carrier of the BRCA2 gene mutation was also significant. According to the latest research, mutation in the BRCA2 gene significantly affects the chemosensitivity of cancer cells, and thus increases the body’s response to treatment. The patient received chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide, resulting in partial remission of cancer after two treatment cycles.
Keywords: small cell lung cancerBRCA2 mutationSchwartz-Bartter syndrome
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