[An elderly advanced breast cancer with a good response to anastrozole]

The patient was an 86-year-old woman. In December 2005, she became aware of a tumor in her right breast at the nipple, gradually increasing in size and bleeding, and visited our department in April 2006. Roughly 3.5 cm in size, the tumor had a prominent large skin surface, bled profusely, and a dark red-colored was found at the E area of the right breast. Ultrasonography and mammography revealed that the tumor had invaded the skin and pectoralis major muscle (T4b). Core needle biopsy examination indicated invasive breast cancer (pap-tub), ER(+), PgR(+), HER2(3+). Chest CT scan and bone scintigraphy revealed swollen changes at the right axillary lymph nodes and osteoblastic changes in the 7th thoracic vertebra. We started anastrozole 1mg/day treatment. Tumor blood loss after one month was confirmed. After six months, the primary tumor size was reduced to 2 cm and the axillary lymph nodes disappeared. Administration continued about three years, and the tumor showed only the scar-like changes, and was unclear from ultrasonography (cPR). We report the long-term effect of aromatase inhibitor for elderly breast cancer patients without operation.