RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 QOL-enhancing surgery for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
JO BMJ Support Palliat Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP 151
OP 154
DO 10.1136/bmjspcare-2018-001622
VO 9
IS 2
A1 Kai, Masaya
A1 Kubo, Makoto
A1 Kawaji, Hitomi
A1 Kurata, Kanako
A1 Mori, Hitomi
A1 Yamada, Mai
A1 Nakamura, Masafumi
YR 2019
UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/9/2/151.abstract
AB The role of the resection of primary tumour in stage IV breast cancer is unclear. Systemic therapy is recommended to prolong the survival and improve the quality of life (QOL). However, even if the systemic therapy is effective to control distant metastasis, sometimes the local lesion worsens, especially in the aggressive subtypes such as HER2-positive breast cancer. In uncontrollable tumours, the wound bed can bleed, weep and get infected, leading to dismal QOL. Our study describes two cases of patients with HER2-positive stage IV breast cancer who underwent palliative mastectomy which resulted in improvement of QOL. Local tumour control through palliative mastectomy can be beneficial for symptomatic aggressive patients with HER2-positive breast cancer to improve their QOL.