Quick regression of brain metastases from lung adenocarcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Abstract. Brain metastasis (BM) commonly occurs in patients with advanced lung cancer, and is associated with poor prognosis and limited treatment options, particularly for end-stage patients who are in poor physical and mental state. We herein present a case of lung adenocarcinoma with BM, as revealed by tumor marker and imaging studies. The patient was a 74-year-old woman who was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma with several metastatic lesions in the mediastinal lymph nodes, bone and brain. The patient underwent two cycles of chemotherapy, but the cancer recurred with enlarged BM, resulting in confusion and body dysfunction. The patient then received epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy with icotinib. After approximately 12 h of treatment the symptoms disappeared, and the metastatic lesions in the brain largely regressed in the following months. Our case indicates that the EGFR-TKI icotinib may provide a rapid and safe approach for emergency situations with BM from lung adenocarcinoma.

Brain metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with uncommon EGFR mutations: a report of seven cases and literature review

“…The reason for this low incidence rate might be that many patients have died from the primary tumor and complications before they developed BM. The majority of NSCLC patients who developed BM survive for 3–6 months, and the 1-year survival rate is 10% 14 . A study showed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were better in patients with common EGFR mutations than in patients with uncommon mutations (15.5 vs. 3.9 months, P < 0.001; and 37.3 vs. 17.4 months, P < 0.001; respectively) 7 .…”