Induction chemoradiotherapy achieves long-term recurrence-free survival in locally advanced pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma: a case report and literature review

TL;DR

A patient with advanced lung cancer achieved long-term remission after a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, suggesting this approach could be effective for similar cases.

Contribution

Demonstrates the potential effectiveness of induction chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Findings

A patient with stage IIIB pLELC achieved partial response after four cycles of gemcitabine plus cisplatin.

The patient achieved clinical complete response and remained recurrence-free for over five years after radiotherapy.

This case suggests that induction chemoradiotherapy may be a viable treatment for locally advanced pLELC.

Abstract

Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (pLELC) is a rare subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. While radiotherapy after induction chemotherapy have shown marked efficacy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), its effectiveness in pLELC remains uncertain. A female with stage IIIB pLELC was treated with 4 cycles of gemcitabine plus cisplatin, achieving partial response(PR), followed by radical radiotherapy. Patients achieved clinical complete response(CR) with recurrence-free for over five years. This case highlights the potential of induction chemotherapy as an effective treatment for locally advanced pLELC.

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