Long survival with erlotinib as second line treatment in non-small cell lung cancer

Male, of 69 years old, caucasian, farmer, non smoker, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and past pesticide exposition, without known familiar diseases. In October/2005, he initiated dyspnoea and asthenia for moderate efforts, cough and night sibling, with persisted although several antibiotic treatments were done. In December/2005, he went to the Emergency department, where it was seen a right pleural effusion. The pleural liquid study, the bronchofiberscope examination, the biopsy and the studies for cancer staging allowed the diagnosis: Lung Adenocarcinoma stage IIIB (positive pleural effusion) - December 2005. He was submitted to thoracocentesis, pleurodesis and local radiotherapy. He carried through citostatic treatment with Gemcitabine-Carboplatin from 16/02/2006 to 13/07/2006, with some haematological toxicity. The follow up showed progression disease, initiating second line of treatment with Erlotinib 150mg, at 21/08/2006. He maintains the same treatment with disease stability and a general good condition, only showing a grade II rash (face, forearms and hands) as secondary effect of treatment. Rev Port Pneumol 2008; XIV (Supl 3): S83-S86.