AUTHOR=Deng Han-Yu , Li Deyan , Ren Ying , Wang Ke , Tang Xiaojun 

TITLE=Targeted Therapy Followed by Salvage Surgery and Adjuvant Therapy: A Promising Therapy for Lung Cancer With Malignant Pleural Effusion From a Case Report

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2021.659983

DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2021.659983

ISSN=2296-875X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Malignant pleural effusion was encountered in about 8–15% of lung cancer patients at initial cancer diagnosis. The optimal therapeutic strategies for lung cancer with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) remain unclear.</p><p><bold>Case Description:</bold> In this study, we reported a case of lung cancer with MPE, which was successfully managed with a multidisciplinary therapeutic strategy. The patient initially received gefitinib for 4 months with excellent response and he underwent salvage thoracoscopic lobectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy. Pathological complete response was confirmed for the patient and he discontinued gefitinib but received 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy instead. The patient is still alive without disease progression for 62 months after surgery.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Combining targeted therapy, salvage surgery, and adjuvant therapy may be a promising treatment strategy for lung cancer with MPE harboring oncogene-targeted mutations.</p>