Toxicity management and efficacy of lapatinib-capecitabine in elderly patient with lymph node metastasis from HER2-positive occult mammary carcinoma

Gestione della tossicità ed efficacia di lapatinib-capecitabina in paziente anziana con metastasi linfonodali da carcinoma mammario occulto HER2-positivo

Abstract

The overexpression of the HER2 oncoprotein, which corresponds to the genotype-amplification of the HER2/neu oncogene, is reported in 20% of breast tumors. The development of anti-HER2 drugs has improved the prognosis of these particularly aggressive tumors and the positivity to HER2, detected with immunohistochemistry or with FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridization) method in metastatic cells, allows today a therapeutic approach and a better outcome for the patient. We report a peculiar clinical case of a patient whose diagnosis of HER2-positive asymptomatic breast tumor was based on the identification of a metastatic lymph node and who responded very well to 6-years therapy with anti-HER2 drugs, with good compliance to the treatment and with management of its toxicity (Oncology).