[A case of giant advanced ulcerative breast cancer managed with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by weekly paclitaxel].

Abstract

We report a case of giant advanced breast cancer with skin ulceration and bleeding (T4cN3M0, Stage IIIC) in which a significant QOL improvement was achieved with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC) followed by weekly paclitaxel. A 63- year-old postmenopausal woman presented in May 2008 with a giant ulcerated right breast tumor and extensive erythema of the involved skin. She had discovered the tumor the previous year, but had not sought medical advice or treatment. A core needle biopsy of the breast mass led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma negative for estrogen receptor, progester-one receptor, and HER2/neu protein expression. She received q3w 4 cycles of EC(E: 60 mg/m(2), C: 600 mg/m(2))and 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2)). Upon completion of this chemotherapy, the breast tumor and skin erythema had nearly disappeared. A mastectomy was then performed with partial resection of the muscle and axillary lymph node dissection. Pathological examination showed only focal residual tumor cells and complete disappearance of cancer cells in the lymph nodes (Grade 2). EC followed by weekly paclitaxel therapy was effective for the locally advanced ulcerative breast tumor, and significantly improved QOL in this patient with Stage III C advanced breast cancer.

• Authors: Tomoyuki Moriya, Kazuhiko Fukatsu, Shigeto Ueda, Keiichi Iwaya, Akihiko Osaki, Junji Yamamoto
• Journal: Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy (Gan To Kagaku Ryoho) Vol. 37 Issue 5 Pg. 907-10 (May 2010) ISSN: 0385-0684 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 20495326 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Epirubicin
• Cyclophosphamide
• Paclitaxel

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Breast Neoplasms (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, pathology)
• Cyclophosphamide (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Epirubicin (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Paclitaxel (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Positron-Emission Tomography
• Quality of Life
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed