Abstract
Gefitinib is the current first-line treatment for advanced lung adenocarcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations. The possibility of using gefitinib as neoadjuvant therapy is interesting because of the low toxicity profile of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Here we report the case of a 67-year-old nonsmoking woman affected by locally advanced lung adenocarcinoma, in whom one-year treatment with gefitinib rendered the tumor amenable to surgical removal. The results of ongoing clinical trials exploring the ability of preoperative gefitinib to achieve better results than can be obtained with chemotherapy in patients selected on the basis of EGFR mutations are urgently awaited.
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy*
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Adenocarcinoma / genetics
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Adenocarcinoma / pathology
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Adenocarcinoma / surgery*
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Adenocarcinoma of Lung
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Aged
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
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Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
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ErbB Receptors / genetics*
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Female
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Gefitinib
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Humans
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Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Lung Neoplasms / genetics
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Lung Neoplasms / pathology
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Lung Neoplasms / surgery*
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Mutation*
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Neoadjuvant Therapy / methods*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Positron-Emission Tomography
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
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Quinazolines / therapeutic use*
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Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Quinazolines
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EGFR protein, human
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ErbB Receptors
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Gefitinib