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. 2009 Nov 24:2:9081.
doi: 10.1186/1757-1626-2-9081.

Chemotherapy with low-dose capecitabine as palliative treatment in a patient with metastatic breast cancer: a case report

Takashi Kawaguchi  1 , Satoru Iwase, Hironori Takeuchi, Ayako Ikeda, Yujiro Kuroda, Naoko Sakata, Megumi Umeda, Kaori Kobara, Tadaharu Matsunaga, Sakae Unezaki, Yoshinori Nagumo
Affiliations

Chemotherapy with low-dose capecitabine as palliative treatment in a patient with metastatic breast cancer: a case report

Takashi Kawaguchi et al. Cases J. .

Abstract

Chemotherapeutic agents are rarely used for symptom management in patients under palliative care setting. This is because chemotherapeutic agents not only have limited efficacy in palliative treatment but are also known to exert severe adverse effects. We describe our experience with a patient with metastatic breast cancer who was successfully treated with low-dose capecitabine, without the development of any severe toxicities and with significant improvement in activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL).The patient, a 43-year-old female, had breast cancer with liver, bone, and cutaneous metastases. She visited our clinic after a year-long hiatus during which she underwent alternative therapy. She presented with ulcerated lesions on the anterior chest and dyspnea due to malignant pleural effusion. After treatment for the latter, we administered capecitabine (600 mg/day) in accordance with the wishes of the patient and her attendants. The ulcerated lesions on the anterior chest, dyspnea, ADL and QOL improved significantly, without the development of any serious adverse effects. The findings of this case indicate that chemotherapy in the form of low-dose capecitabine monotherapy may be considered in patients under palliative care setting.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
a) Cutaneous metastases with ulcerated lesions of breast cancer on the anterior chest wall. b) Shrinking metastases and reduction of ulcerated lesions after chemotherapy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
a) Positron emission tomography scan shows bilateral large masses in the chest wall. b) Decrease in tumor mass after chemotherapy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Positron emission tomography/computed tomography fusion images show strong 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the region of a) the anterior chest wall and b) liver. After chemotherapy, FDG uptake was significantly diminished in the region of c) the anterior chest wall and d) liver.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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