Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Avicenna J Med 2012; 02(03): 71-73
DOI: 10.4103/2231-0770.102282
CASE REPORT

Trastuzumab for Her2/neu-positive metastatic salivary gland carcinoma: Case report and review of the literature

Belal Firwana
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
,
Bassel Atassi
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
,
Rim Hasan
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
,
Nour Hasan
Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon
,
Ammar Sukari
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
  PDF Download Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Salivary gland carcinomas metastasize to distant organs in 20% of salivary gland malignancies. Applying immunohistochemistry (IHC) measures, salivary gland tumors showed a wide range of oncogene markers expression, including the human epidermoid receptor 2 (Her2/neu), which could be targeted with monoclonal antibody. Treating salivary gland tumors, which have Her2/neu over-expression, with trastuzumab was reported in a few case reports. We report a 61-year-old Caucasian male, with a history of salivary gland tumor, who presented after 20 years of complete surgical resection with kidney mass. He was treated as primary renal cell carcinoma, unclassified, with nephrectomy and adjuvant clinical trail where he received placebo. Subsequently, he developed multiple hepatic lesions and retroperitoneal mesenteric lymphadenopathy; CT-guided biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma with Her2/neu, 3+ by IHC. The patient was treated successfully with trastuzumab with near-complete response.

Keywords

Metastasis - salivary gland tumor - salivary glands - trastuzumab


Publication History

Article published online:
09 August 2021

© 2012. Syrian American Medical Society. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.
A-12, Second Floor, Sector -2, NOIDA -201301, India

 

  • References

  • 1 Madani G, Beale T. Tumors of the salivary glands. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 2006;27:452-64.
  • 2 Scianna JM, Petruzzelli GJ. Contemporary management of tumors of the salivary glands. Curr Oncol Rep 2007;9:134-8.
  • 3 Seifert G, Sobin LH. The World Health Organization′s Histological Classification of Salivary Gland Tumors. A commentary on the second edition. Cancer 1992;70:379-85.
  • 4 Ellis GL. Lymphoid lesions of salivary glands: Malignant and benign. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal 2007;12:E479-85.
  • 5 Bhattacharyya N, Fried MP. Nodal metastasis in major salivary gland cancer: Predictive factors and effects on survival. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;128:904-8.
  • 6 Locati LD, Perrone F, Losa M, Mela M, Casieri P, Orsenigo M, et al. Treatment relevant target immunophenotyping of 139 salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs). Oral Oncol 2009;45:986-90.
  • 7 Elledge R. Current concepts in research related to oncogenes implicated in salivary gland tumourigenesis: A review of the literature. Oral Dis 2009;15:249-54.
  • 8 Jemal A, Bray F, Center MM, Ferlay J, Ward E, Forman D. Global cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin 2011;61:69-90.
  • 9 Sharon E, Kelly RJ, Szabo E. Sustained response of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma treated with trastuzumab and capecitabine. Head Neck Oncol 2010;2:12.
  • 10 Nashed M, Casasola RJ. Biological therapy of salivary duct carcinoma. J Laryngol Otol 2009;123:250-2.
  • 11 Prat A, Parera M, Reyes V, Peralta S, Cedrés S, Andreu J, et al. Successful treatment of pulmonary metastatic salivary ductal carcinoma with trastuzumab-based therapy. Head Neck 2008;30:680-3.
  • 12 Agulnik M, Cohen EW, Cohen RB, Chen EX, Vokes EE, Hotte SJ, et al. Phase II study of lapatinib in recurrent or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor and/or erbB2 expressing adenoid cystic carcinoma and non adenoid cystic carcinoma malignant tumors of the salivary glands. J Clin Oncol 2007;25:3978-84.
  • 13 Haddad R, Colevas AD, Krane JF, Cooper D, Glisson B, Amrein PC, et al. Herceptin in patients with advanced or metastatic salivary gland carcinomas. A phase II study. Oral Oncol 2003;39:724-7.