[A case of recurrent lung cancer successfully treated using ambulatory chemotherapy with vinorelbine]

The patient was a 64-year-old woman. She had previously suffered from stage IA lung adenocarcinoma and undergone a right upper lobe resection. After 7 years, she complained of coughing and right chest pain. Right pleural effusion and tumor mass shadow/lymph node swelling on the surgical margin of a right bronchus were found. A tumor marker (CEA) was also at a high level. Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and docetaxel (TXT) failed to produce an antitumor effect. The treatment was changed to ambulatory chemotherapy with vinorelbine (VNB) at 20 mg/m2 weekly. This produced tumor reduction and disappearance of the pleural effusion, and normalized the CEA level. No adverse reactions except leukopenia of grade 2 occurred. VNB alone seemed to successfully exhibit an antitumor effect. As VNB is easy to administer, it will be applicable in ambulatory chemotherapy administered with consideration of the patients quality of life.