A case of reductions in bone and brain metastatic foci and remarkable improvements in general condition by gefitinib administrations in a patient with non-small cell lung carcinoma of progressive stage

A 60-year-old male patient, who presented at our hospital mainly complaining of pain in the shoulders and back, was diagnosed with stage IV primary B4 pulmonary adenocarcinoma (T3N0M1 with bone and brain metastases) based on a transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). Although chemotherapy was conducted after radio-surgical treatment of the brain metastatic focus with the γ-knife, his joint pain and general condition were exacerbated, in addition to the occurrence of a compression fracture of the cervical lumbar vertebra, because of the progressive disease (PD). About 1 month after the startup of gefitinib administrations, the primary focus was markedly reduced, accompanied by considerable reductions in the metastatic foci in the bone and brain, showing improvements in both subjective and objective symptoms, and he made such a remarkable recovery from the disease that ambulant visits became possible. To date, no adverse effects have been observed, except transient anthema that appeared at an early stage of the gefitinib administrations.