Vol 6, No 1 (2010)
Case report
Published online: 2010-05-06

open access

Page views 828
Article views/downloads 3454
Get Citation

Connect on Social Media

Connect on Social Media

HER2 overexpressing advanced breast cancer - a case report

Roman Dubiański, Iwona Głogowska
Onkol. Prak. Klin 2010;6(1):48-51.

Abstract

Despite the improvement in early detection and new therapeutic agents breast cancer remains the most frequent cause of death among women with cancer in Poland. About 20% of patients have tumors overexpressing HER2, which is associated with the higher risk of relapse and shorter overall survival. Introducing to the therapy of metastatic breast cancer two molecularly targeted agents - trastuzumab and lapatinib - significantly improved the results of the therapy in this subgroup of patients in metastatic setting. We are presenting the case of a 44-years-old patient with metastatic breast cancer who was treated sequentially with trastuzumab and lapatinib with long responses. This case also shows that reinduction of trastuzumab after cardiac adverse event is possible and safe and is an example of an intrathecal therapy of carcinomatous meningitis.

Article available in PDF format

View PDF (Polish) Download PDF file

References

  1. Wojciechowska U, Didkowska J, Zatoński W. Nowotwory złośliwe w Polsce w 2006 roku. Centrum Onkologii, Warszawa 2008.
  2. Slamon DJ, Godolphin W, Jones LA, et al. Studies of the HER-2/neu proto-oncogene in human breast and ovarian cancer. Science. 1989; 244(4905): 707–712.
  3. Slamon DJ, Clark GM, Wong SG, et al. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science. 1987; 235(4785): 177–182.
  4. Ross JS, Fletcher JA, Ross JS, et al. The HER-2/neu oncogene in breast cancer: prognostic factor, predictive factor, and target for therapy. Stem Cells. 1998; 16(6): 413–428.
  5. Seshadri R, Firgaira FA, Horsfall DJ, et al. Clinical significance of HER-2/neu oncogene amplification in primary breast cancer. The South Australian Breast Cancer Study Group. J Clin Oncol. 1993; 11(10): 1936–1942.
  6. Vogel CL, Cobleigh MA, Tripathy D, et al. Efficacy and safety of trastuzumab as a single agent in first-line treatment of HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2002; 20(3): 719–726.
  7. Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, et al. Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344(11): 783–792.
  8. Eiermann W. International Herceptin Study Group. Trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: pivotal trial data. Ann Oncol. 2001; 12 Suppl 1: S57–S62.
  9. Pegram MD, Konecny GE, O'Callaghan C, et al. Rational combinations of trastuzumab with chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004; 96(10): 739–749.
  10. Seidman AD, Fornier MN, Esteva FJ, et al. Weekly trastuzumab and paclitaxel therapy for metastatic breast cancer with analysis of efficacy by HER2 immunophenotype and gene amplification. J Clin Oncol. 2001; 19(10): 2587–2595.
  11. Geyer CE, Forster J, Lindquist D, et al. Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2006; 355(26): 2733–2743.
  12. Lin NU, Carey LA, Liu MC, et al. Phase II trial of lapatinib for brain metastases in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008; 26(12): 1993–1999.
  13. Ewer S, Ewer M. Cardiotoxicity Profile of Trastuzumab. Drug Safety. 2008; 31(6): 459–467.
  14. Hooning MJ, Botma A, Aleman BMP, et al. Long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in 10-year survivors of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007; 99(5): 365–375.
  15. de Azambuja E, Bedard PL, Suter T, et al. Cardiac toxicity with anti-HER-2 therapies: what have we learned so far? Target Oncol. 2009; 4(2): 77–88.
  16. Suter TM, Cook-Bruns N, Barton C. Cardiotoxicity associated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) therapy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Breast. 2004; 13(3): 173–183.
  17. Rudnicka H, Niwińska A, Gruszfeld A, et al. [Diagnosis and treatment of carcinoid meningitis: a challenge to the neurologist and oncologist]. Neurol Neurochir Pol. 2003; 37(4): 811–824.
  18. Rudnicka H, Niwińska A, Murawska M. Breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis--the role of multimodality treatment. J Neurooncol. 2007; 84(1): 57–62.
  19. Rosner D, Nemoto T, Lane WW. Chemotherapy induces regression of brain metastases in breast carcinoma. Cancer. 1986; 58(4): 832–839.
  20. Boogerd W, Dalesio O, Bais EM, et al. Response of brain metastases from breast cancer to systemic chemotherapy. Cancer. 1992; 69(4): 972–980.