Open AccessNever too old to fight breast cancer
Author(s) -
Monica Zuradelli,
Giovanna Masci,
Emanuela Ferraro,
Agnese Losurdo,
Rita De Sanctis,
Rosalba Torrisi,
Armando Santoro
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.59
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1536-5964
pISSN - 0025-7974
DOI - 10.1097/md.0000000000009981
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , chemoimmunotherapy , contraindication , cancer , oncology , trastuzumab emtansine , lymph node , disease , metastatic breast cancer , pathology , alternative medicine , immunotherapy
Rationale: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting females worldwide and its lifetime risk increases with age. Human epidermal growth factor receptor gene-2 (HER-2) positive breast cancer represents about 20% of all breast cancers, 1 out of 10 is diagnosed in women over 70 years of age. It tends to be more aggressive and to spread more quickly than other subtypes, but the introduction in clinical practice of new anti-HER-2 agents combined with chemotherapy has significantly improved progression free and overall survival. Elderly patients are frequently undertreated because of concerns about their age, performance status, and comorbidities. Here, we report a case of an octogenarian patient treated with T-DM1 with brilliant results. Patient concerns: An 87 years old woman affected with HER-2 positive breast cancer presented progression of disease with lymph node and skin metastases after 3 lines of chemoimmunotherapy. Diagnoses: Breast cancer in elderly patient, lymph node, and skin metastases. Interventions: Chemoimmunotherapy (trastuzumab emtansine). Outcome: Objective response of the disease and significant clinical benefit. Lessons: This case clearly suggests that age and comorbidities do not always represent an absolute contraindication to combined treatments.