Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Dec 6, 2020; 8(23): 6036-6042
Published online Dec 6, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i23.6036
Neoadjuvant targeted therapy for apocrine carcinoma of the breast: A case report
Ping Yang, Shu-Jia Peng, Yan-Ming Dong, Lin Yang, Zhen-Yu Yang, Xi-E Hu, Guo-Qiang Bao
Ping Yang, Shu-Jia Peng, Yan-Ming Dong, Lin Yang, Zhen-Yu Yang, Xi-E Hu, Guo-Qiang Bao, Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Bao GQ conceived the study; Bao GQ and Yang P performed the treatment; Bao GQ and Peng SJ performed the imaging; Yang P and Dong YM collected the data; Yang L, Yang ZY and Hu X drafted the manuscript; Bao GQ reviewed and revised the manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Guo-Qiang Bao, MD, Assistant Professor, Associate Chief Physician, Doctor, Surgeon, Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China. guoqiang@fmmu.edu.cn
Received: May 15, 2020
Peer-review started: May 15, 2020
First decision: August 8, 2020
Revised: August 18, 2020
Accepted: October 26, 2020
Article in press: October 26, 2020
Published online: December 6, 2020
Processing time: 170 Days and 18.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Apocrine carcinoma of the breast is a special type of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast that is rare in clinical practice. Neoadjuvant therapy, especially neoadjuvant targeted therapy, has rarely been reported for apocrine carcinoma of the breast.

CASE SUMMARY

A 63-year-old woman presented with apocrine carcinoma of the left breast underwent core needle biopsy. The patient was diagnosed with apocrine carcinoma by immunohistochemical staining and negative hormone status (estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor) but showed overexpression of human epidermal factor receptor 2 (HER-2). Moreover, positive expression of androgen receptor (approximately 60%) and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 was observed. The patient was treated with neoadjuvant targeted therapy consisting of the TCH regimen (docetaxel, carboplatin area under curve 6 and trastuzumab) every 21 d. The mass in the left breast was significantly reduced, and pain in the breast and left upper arm also improved.

CONCLUSION

HER-2 positive apocrine carcinoma of the breast can be improved by neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with targeted therapy.

Keywords: Breast neoplasm; ErbB-2 receptor; Targeted therapy; Case report; Apocrine gland; Neoadjuvant therapies

Core Tip: A woman with apocrine carcinoma of the left breast underwent core needle biopsy. The patient was diagnosed with apocrine carcinoma by immunohistochemical staining and negative hormone status (estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor) but showed overexpression of human epidermal factor receptor 2. Moreover, positive expression of androgen receptor (approximately 60%) and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 was observed. The patient was treated with neoadjuvant targeted therapy consisting of the TCH regimen (docetaxel, carboplatin area under curve 6 and trastuzumab) every 21 d. The mass in the left breast was significantly reduced, and pain in the breast and left upper arm also improved.