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.

Successful treatment of pulmonary metastatic salivary ductal carcinoma with trastuzumab-based therapy.

Prat A, Parera M, Reyes V, Peralta S, Cedrés S, Andreu J, Huguet P, del Campo JM

Department of Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. prat.aleix@terra.es

BACKGROUND: Salivary ductal carcinoma (SDC) is an uncommon malignant tumor of the salivary glands. Although there is no known standard of care for the treatment of advanced disease, the vast majority of patients with SDC may be offered palliative systemic therapy. We report a case of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic submandibular SDC with a complete and durable clinical response to treatment with trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 62-year-old man was diagnosed with SDC of the left submandibular gland with extensive cervical lymph node involvement. The lesion was completely resected, and the patient underwent postoperative radiotherapy. After 6 months, multiple pulmonary metastatic lesions were detected. A complete response was reached with trastuzumab-based combination therapy, and no evidence of disease progression has been observed after 14 months of initiation of systemic therapy. CONCLUSION: Trastuzumab-based combination therapies should be considered for advanced SDC.

Published 16 April 2008 in Head Neck, 30(5): 680-3.
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