A case of advanced breast cancer successfully treated with paclitaxel and toremifene therapy

We report a case of advanced breast cancer with skin ulceration and bleeding (T4bN3bM0: Stage IIIC) achieving a significant improvement of QOL by toremifene and paclitaxel therapy. The patient was a 38-year-old woman with slight anemia who had ulcerative breast lump with skin ulcer. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for estrogen receptor and progesteron receptor, and negative for HER2/neu protein expression. She received 6 cycles of tri-weekly FEC (C: 500 mg, E: 60 mg, F: 500 mg/m2) and 16 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) with toremifene (120 mg/day). The anemia and the bleeding from the tumor disappeared after FEC chemotherapy. The response for breast tumor after paclitaxel and toremifene therapy was evaluated as partial response, and the infraclavicular, subpectoral, and interpectoral lymph nodes metastasis disappeared. Muscle-preserving radical mastectomy (Bt + Ax: Auchincloss) with skin transplantation was performed. She had no recurrence during one year after the operation. Paclitaxel and Toremifene therapy was effective for advanced breast tumor, and can improve a patient QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IIIC advanced breast cancer.