Dramatic responses to gefitinib when used as front line therapy in two cases of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with poor performance status

A 54-year-old man, a non-smoker, suffering from metastatic lung adenocarcinoma presented with extensive bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. He was dyspneic at rest. Performance status (PS) was 4. Institution of gefitinib resulted in relief from dyspnea within two weeks. Positron emission tomography done after 10 months revealed only a 2 cm residual lesion. However, the patient stopped therapy on his own and died two months later. An 80-year-old female, a non smoker, presented with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma and right sided pleural effusion. Her PS was 4. She was started on gefitinib. Within four weeks, she showed marked improvement. At six months, she was radiologically documented to be in partial remission. She continues to be asymptomatic at one year follow-up. These are the first reports of dramatic responses to gefitinib when used as front-line therapy in patients with poor performance status from India.