A case of advanced breast cancer with multiple lung and liver metastases successfully treated with multi-disciplinary therapy

We report a case of advanced breast cancer with multiple lung and liver metastases (T4bN1M1) achieving a significant improvement of QOL by multi-disciplinary therapy. The patient was a 63-year-old woman with slight jaundice who had ascites and an ulcerative breast lump with multiple lung and liver metastases. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for HER2/neu protein expression. She received 6 cycles of tri-weekly docetaxel (60 mg/m2) and weekly trastuzumab. Although the ascites and the jaundice disappeared after chemotherapy, the response for breast tumor, metastatic sites in the lung and the liver were less satisfactory. Fifteen-months later, she received radiation therapy so that metastasis in the brain was recognized. But she had no neurological symptoms. Multi-disciplinary therapy can improve patient's QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IV advanced breast cancer.