Effective monotherapy with amrubicin for a refractory extrapulmonary small-cell carcinoma of the liver

Small-cell carcinoma of the liver is a rare neoplasm, and no standard treatment for it has yet been established. A 72-year-old man with an extensive disease stage of small-cell carcinoma of the liver was treated with systemic chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and etoposide (PE) followed by irinotecan. Although the masses were markedly decreased once after the sixth course of PE, amrubicin monotherapy as third-line chemotherapy was started because the hepatic masses had increased again. The administration of amrubicin was repeated in 8 courses with regression of the disease, resulting in a 26-month survival since the first-line chemotherapy was started. This is the first case report of a refractory EPSCC successfully treated with amrubicin.