[Two Cases of Chemotherapy after Self-Expandable Metallic Stent Placement for Obstructive Sigmoid Cancer with Unresectable Liver Metastasis].

Immediate decompression and induction of chemotherapy are exceedingly critical for obstructive colorectal cancer patients with unresectable liver metastasis. Systematic chemotherapy was administered after self-expandable metallic stent(SEMS) placement in 2 patients with obstructive sigmoid cancer with unresectable liver metastasis. Chemotherapy-induced tumor shrinkage led to SEMS migration, enabling the use of an anti-VEGF drug. Eventually, both patients underwent successful management without restenosis.

Efficacy of lapatinib monotherapy on occult breast cancer presenting with cutaneous metastases: A case report.

The case of a 72-year-old female who identified a lymph node enlargement in the left axilla is reported in the present study. A lymph node biopsy revealed a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the axillary lymph node. Following various assessments, the patient was diagnosed with occult breast cancer and lymph node metastases, for which treatment was initiated. Trastuzumab monotherapy was administered as the patient was elderly, positive for the hepatitis B virus and exhibited the following immunostaining/immunohistochemical analysis results: Estrogen receptor (ER) negative (-), progesterone receptor (PgR) negative (-) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive (3+). Breast ultrasonography was performed 10 months after the initial trastuzumab administration and the left axillary lymph node enlargement had reduced in size and severity. However, a skin rash (erythema) was observed encompassing the left breast and extending into the axilla. As determined by the result of a skin biopsy of this area, the patient was diagnosed with occult breast cancer with cutaneous metastases. The immunohistochemical analysis results obtained from the skin biopsy were similar to those obtained from the lymph nodes: ER (-), PgR (-) and HER2 (3+). Therefore, the patient was switched from trastuzumab to lapatinib monotherapy. The erythema completely disappeared after two months of treatment. At present (34 months following lapatinib monotherapy initiation) no new lesions or severe side-effects have been observed.

[Radiofrequency ablation of liver metastasis from breast cancer].

As the hepatic metastasis from breast cancer has a tendency to have an extrahepatic lesion, systemic therapy therefore becomes acclimatization. However, local therapy is regarded as one of the choices if there is no extrahepatic lesion. We present three cases of liver metastasis from the breast treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Case 1: A 65-year-old woman was treated by left mastectomy in 1997. Radiation exposure was performed for lung metastasis, and a weekly paclitaxel therapy was administered in 2001. We performed RFA percutaneously for liver metastasis of 2.8 cm in 2002. The aggravation spread to the lung lesion and she died after RFA within one year. The liver metastasis finally enlarged to 4 cm in size. Case 2: A 36-year-old woman was treated by left mastectomy (Stage IIIa), and was followed by chemotherapy in 2000. We performed RFA for metastasis of 2 cm of liver (S7) percutaneously in 2001, and didn't recognize a recurrence to date for 3 years and 8 months. Case 3: A 43-year-old woman was treated by left mastectomy (Stage IIIa), and followed by chemotherapy in 2003. We performed RFA for a liver metastasis of 3.5 x 4 cm under laparotomy in 2004. She has been disease free for 15 months.