[A case of lung cancer in an elderly patient with malignant pleural effusion and pneumothorax treated with carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab]

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2014 Oct;41(10):1237-40.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

We report a case of an elderly patient with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer who was successfully treated with chemotherapy using carboplatin(CBDCA), pemetrexed(PEM), and bevacizumab(Bev). The patient was an 84-year-old man who presented with a chief complaint of dyspnea. The right lung was completely collapsed due to malignant pleural effusion, and the mediastinum was shifted to the left. Right thoracic drainage was performed, but this was complicated by pneumothorax and a thoracotomy was performed. An absorbent tissue reinforcing agent was attached to the site of the air leakage and fibrin glue was applied. After discharge, the patient was administered 500mg/m / 2 PEM plus 15 mg/kg Bev for the first course of chemotherapy and experienced no serious side effects. CBDCA(area under the curve[AUC]4)was added from the second course. After the administration of seven courses, pleural effusion had almost disappeared and the primary tumor in the upper right lobe was observed to have shrunk. Administration of PEM+Bev was continued thereafter. The right pleural effusion was well controlled for up to 12 months(14 courses)from the start of the administration of chemotherapy, and shrinkage of the primary tumor was maintained. The side effects were mild and chemotherapy was administered safely. After the administration of 16 courses, a left malignant pleural effusion was observed, and the patient died 15 months after the initiation of chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bevacizumab
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / complications
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Glutamates / administration & dosage
  • Guanine / administration & dosage
  • Guanine / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / complications
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Pemetrexed
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / etiology*
  • Pneumothorax / etiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Glutamates
  • Pemetrexed
  • Bevacizumab
  • Guanine
  • Carboplatin