Herceptin Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Herceptin, including details on side-effects, breast cancer, treatment, therapy.

Response of bilateral choroidal metastases of breast cancer to therapy with trastuzumab.

Munzone E, Nolè F, Sanna G, Goldhirsch A

Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Day Hospital Unit, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy. elisabetta.munzone@ieo.it

Intraocular metastases, especially those of the choroidal plexus, are not common in metastatic breast cancer patients and are typically associated with a poor prognosis and impaired quality of life. A 45-year-old woman with breast cancer overexpressing HER2 and metastasizing to choroidal plexus, lymph nodes and skin received a combination of trastuzumab and paclitaxel as first-line treatment. Subsequently, at progression, trastuzumab was reintroduced together with vinorelbine. Administration of trastuzumab with either paclitaxel or vinorelbine led to a rapid improvement of the ocular symptoms, associated with a rapid objective response of all metastatic lesions and a prompt improvement in the quality of life. Choroidal metastases from breast cancer overexpressing HER2 are responsive to trastuzumab and chemotherapy (paclitaxel or vinorelbine). The susceptibility of ocular metastases to this approach seems different to that of other sanctuary disease sites.

Published 11 October 2005 in Breast, 14(5): 380-3.
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