Erlotinib in patients with previously irradiated, recurrent brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer: two case reports.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

With the current improvements in primary lung care, the long-term control of brain metastases becomes a clinical challenge. No established therapeutic approaches exist for cranial relapse after response to previous radiotherapy and systemic therapy. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors like erlotinib with its proven activity in non-small cell lung cancer may provide clinical benefits in such patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Two case reports are presented illustrating the efficacy of erlotinib in patients with recurrent brain metastases and parallel thoracic progression.

RESULTS:

Both patients showed lasting partial remissions in the brain and lung, and clinical symptom improvement.

CONCLUSION:

The observed survival times of above 18 and 15 months, respectively, since occurrence of cranial disease manifestation in line with the achieved progression-free survival times of 9 and 6 months by the erlotinib third-line therapy are remarkable. The use of targeted therapies after wholebrain irradiation should be investigated more systematically in prospective clinical trials.

• Authors: Joachim von Pawel, Horst Wagner, Thomas Duell, Barbara Poellinger
• Journal: Onkologie (Onkologie) Vol. 31 Issue 3 Pg. 123-6 (Mar 2008) ISSN: 1423-0240 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 18322416 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Quinazolines
• Erlotinib Hydrochloride

Topics

• Adult
• Antineoplastic Agents (administration & dosage)
• Brain Neoplasms (secondary, therapy)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (secondary, therapy)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Erlotinib Hydrochloride
• Female
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (drug therapy)
• Quinazolines (administration & dosage)
• Treatment Outcome