High efficacy of gefitinib in the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma: A case report

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gefitinib and erlotinib, are known to play a significant role in EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer. When an EGFR mutation is found, gefitinib and erlotinib have been shown to have significant roles in the treatment of untreated advanced NSCLC. This study reports an EGFR mutation in NSCLC treated with gefitinib and is notable due to the patient’s marked improvement following a shorter than average duration of treatment with gefitinib. The present study reports the case of a 58-year-old male smoker with a dry cough. Computed tomography revealed a mass in the left inferior lobe of the lung. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, and an EGFR mutation (in-frame deletions of E746-A750 in exon 19) was found. The patient received multiple rounds of chemotherapy, followed by gefitinib maintenance therapy for 3 months. Later on, a grade 1 acne-like rash developed on the face and back that lasted throughout the treatment. Currently, the patient is stable, with no evidence of disease progression. The present study describes the disease and the treatment using gefitinib.