A case of lung metastasis from laryngeal cancer showing a good response to chemotherapy with docetaxel

A patient with the supraglottic type of laryngeal cancer (T4aN2cM0 Stage IVA) underwent chemora-diotherapy as the initial treatment, and a complete response had been observed. Eleven months later, however, he was diagnosed as having lung metastatic recurrence of laryngeal cancer. The lung metastasis disappeared following administration of medium-dose docetaxel for about four years. It has been reported that an average life expectancy of 120 days is associated with the chemotherapeutic outcome of treatment for metastasis to the lung from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In our case, however, survival of more than 5 years from onset of metastasis has been achieved. The patient has not suffered from any serious adverse event besides mild depilation and myelosuppression during the treatment. The burden on the patient was small with continuation of all activities of daily living. This infusion method could therefore be considered as a treatment that could preserve the quality of life of similar patients.