Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Intracranial Metastasis of a Salivary Duct Carcinoma: Case Report

Abstract

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare subtype of salivary cancers associated with androgen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) overexpression. It shows a high propensity to give rise to distant metastases mainly to the lung, the bone, and the liver. Intracranial metastases are rare. We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient with SDC developing intracranial metastases. Unresponsive to radiotherapy and anti-HER/neu targeted therapy the intracranial metastases showed a very good partial remission to androgen deprivation therapy with goserelin acetate. This case demonstrates the potential of a highly targeted therapy with a relatively cheap and well-known drug in a patient with a rare disease without other good therapeutic options, which is a good example of modern, personalized medicine.

Keywords

• salivary duct carcinoma
• androgen deprivation
• intracranial metastasis
• case report