Marked response to single agent trastuzumab in a patient with metastatic HER-2 gene amplified rectal cancer

Cancer Invest. 2011 Aug;29(7):456-9. doi: 10.3109/07357907.2011.590569. Epub 2011 Jun 22.

Abstract

Overexpression or HER-2 gene amplification occurs in approximately 25% of invasive breast cancers and predicts response to the targeting therapeutic antibody trastuzumab (1). In this report, trastuzumab was used in the treatment of a patient with metastatic colorectal cancer harboring HER-2 gene amplification and overexpression. There was a marked radiographic response to the trastuzumab. If a larger series confirms the efficacy of trastuzumab use in patients with colorectal cancers with HER-2 gene amplification, trastuzumab could help improve the outlook for patients with this unusual colorectal cancer variant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Gene Amplification*
  • Genes, erbB-2*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Rectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Rectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Rectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Trastuzumab

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Trastuzumab