Gefitinib Treatment for Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma Driven by an EGFR Mutation: Two Cases.
10.3904/kjm.2013.84.3.446
- Author:
Ji Yeon KIM
1
;
Yoojoo LIM
;
Eunyoung LEE
;
Mi So KIM
;
Dae Won LEE
;
Tae Min KIM
;
Se Hoon LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. shlee119@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Spindle cell carcinoma;
Lung neoplasms;
EGFR genes;
Gefitinib
- MeSH:
Exons;
Female;
Genes, erbB-1;
Humans;
Lung;
Lung Neoplasms;
Prognosis;
Quinazolines;
Sarcoma
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2013;84(3):446-451
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung is defined as a group of poorly differentiated non-small cell carcinomas that contain a component of sarcoma or a sarcoma-like element. Most sarcomatoid carcinomas are known to have a poor prognosis. We describe a 45-year-old female never smoker and 49-year-old female never smoker with sarcomatoid carcinomas of the lung that expressed a specific EGFR mutation: microdeletion of exon 19. Their cancers progressed rapidly, despite appropriate conventional chemotherapy. After they took the EGFR-targeted agent gefitinib, there was a dramatic reduction in tumor size. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung is a rare cancer whose pathogenesis is not well understood. According to these cases, the EGFR mutation could be a driver mutation and the potential therapeutic target of EGFR-targeted agents for sarcomatoid carcinoma in lung cancer patients, especially never smokers.
