[A case of adrenal metastasis of lung cancer treated by carboplatin and docetaxel].

A 42-year-old male was referred to our hospital in October 1998, suffering from severe cough accompanied by repeated hemosputa. Serum NSE slightly increased and cytology of sputum indicated class V. Chest X-P and CT revealed a large tumor in the right upper lobe and hilar lymphadenopathy. Abdominal CT revealed bilateral adrenal tumors. For continuous bloody sputum, a right upper lobectomy and lymphadenectomy were performed and the pathologic diagnosis was large cell carcinoma. After surgery, we chose radiation and chemotherapy. The new chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel (60 mg/m2 in combination with carboplatin (CBDCA: AUC 6,800 mg/m2) was administered, resulting in the remarkable reduction in the size of adrenal metastasis by 50% after 3 courses of chemotherapy. Furthermore, 12 months later, the right adrenal metastasis was remarkably reduced (5 x 3 cm-> 0.5 x 1.0 cm), and the left adrenal metastasis had disappeared on abdominal CT. These findings may suggest the efficacy of newly developed docetaxel in cases of non-small cell lung cancer.