paclitaxel

The Outcome of Chemotherapy for Metastatic Extramammary Paget’s Disease

The Outcome of Chemotherapy for Metastatic Extramammary Paget’s Disease

The efficacy and survival impact of conventional chemotherapies for metastatic extra- mammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) have not been fully elucidated. This study examined the long- term outcome of chemotherapy for this indication. We conducted a retrospective review of 21 pa- tients with distant metastatic EMPD (14 patients treated with chemotherapy and 7 patients treated without chemotherapy). The response rate of chemotherapy and patient survival were statistically analyzed.

Metastatic extramammary Paget's disease responding to weekly paclitaxel.

Metastatic extramammary Paget's disease responding to weekly paclitaxel.

Metastatic extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare cancer with no validated systemic treatment. Regimens including FECOM 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, epirubicin, carboplatin, vincristine and mitomycin C), 5-FU/cisplatin and single agent docetaxel exhibited varying levels of efficacy in case reports. A 58-year-old man with EMPD diffusely metastatic to bone presented with worsening shortness of breath, significant pancytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). He was started on low-dose heparin for the DIC and weekly paclitaxel. Initially requiring almost daily transfusions, his shortness of breath improved after two doses of paclitaxel, and he became transfusion-independent after only three doses. Correlating with his disease course, the patient's prepaclitaxel carcinoembryonic antigen level of 62.1 ng/mL decreased to 7.4 ng/mL on 3-month follow-up, and he showed no progression of disease on imaging. With no validated chemotherapy regimen currently, this case can help guide consideration of paclitaxel in future treatment of metastatic EMPD.