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Published on: February 12, 2017
Palliative chemotherapy for pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma
Hyun-Mi Bae1, Hye Sook Min, Se-Hoon Lee
1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Chemotherapy is ineffective for advanced pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma, a rare and aggressive lung cancer. This study found no objective responses to standard non-small cell lung cancer treatments, highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a rare lung tumor with a known aggressive clinical course and early metastatic potential.
- The effectiveness of chemotherapy for advanced PPC remains undefined, necessitating investigation into palliative treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of palliative chemotherapy in patients with advanced pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
- To assess response rates and survival outcomes following standard chemotherapy regimens used for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 13 consecutive patients with advanced PPC who received palliative chemotherapy.
- Patients were treated with chemotherapy regimens established for advanced NSCLC.
Main Results:
- No objective response was observed in any patient after first-line chemotherapy (0% objective response rate).
- 11 patients (85%) experienced progressive disease, while 2 (15%) had stable disease.
- Second-line chemotherapy also yielded no objective responses, with all patients experiencing disease progression.
- Median overall survival was 5 months, indicating a poor prognosis despite palliative chemotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Advanced pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma demonstrates a poor response to current chemotherapy regimens effective for NSCLC.
- Novel therapeutic approaches are urgently required to improve outcomes for patients with pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
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