Radiology Case Reports (Dec 2023)

A remarkable response to palliative treatment in metastatic breast cancer: A case report and comprehensive literature review

  • Sarah Syed, MBBS,
  • Ogbonnaya Akuma, MD,
  • Sanni Emmanuel, MD,
  • Faisal Mehmood, MBBS,
  • Tamer Zahdeh, MD,
  • Chinwe C. Okonkwo, MD,
  • Neeraj Kancherla, MBBS,
  • Pugazhendi Inban, MBBS,
  • Baris Tarimci, MD,
  • Carlo Kristian Chu Carredo, MD,
  • Ali Ejaz, MBBS,
  • Zubir S. Rentiya, MD,
  • Aadil Mahmood Khan, MBBS, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 12
pp. 4489 – 4494

Abstract

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The case report describes a patient with stage IV breast cancer which metastasized to the lungs. The patient's initial computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a malignant lesion in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast and multiple pulmonary nodules, suggesting pulmonary metastasis. After starting palliative chemotherapy with intravenous paclitaxel and subcutaneous injections of Herceptin, a follow-up CT scan 3 months after the initiation of treatment showed the disappearance of metastasis, and her cancer regressed to stage II breast cancer that could be surgically resected. This case report highlights the importance of timely and appropriate palliative treatment measures, which can lead to unexpected outcomes, such as the regression of metastatic lesions and the possibility of curative treatment in such advanced cancer.

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