[Bi-weekly nab-paclitaxel and trastuzumab therapy effective against recurrent breast cancer with multiple lung metastases in elderly patient who had previously undergone two chemotherapeutic regimens for treatment of metastatic disease-a case Report].

We herein report a 75-year-old patient with recurrent hormone-nonresponsive, HER2-positive breast cancer who presented with multiple lung metastases. She had undergone a mastectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with FEC, CMF, and UFT. Forty-six months after the surgery, multiple lung, liver, and bone metastases were observed. Docetaxel and trastuzumab were administered as first-line chemotherapy for 13 months. A partial response and stable disease were observed, but progressive disease in the lung and brain was subsequently revealed. The patient then underwent g-knife treatment for brain metastasis. Lapatinib and capecitabine treatment was administered as second-line chemotherapy for 9 months. Stable disease was observed, but progressive disease in the lung metastases with clinical symptoms including cough, exertional dyspnea, and general malaise was revealed. As third-line chemotherapy, the patient was administered low-dose, bi-weekly nab-paclitaxel(150mg/m2)and trastuzumab therapy. Four weeks after beginning the nab-paclitaxel and trastuzumab treatment, the cough disappeared; 2 months after beginning the therapy, a partialresponse in the lung metastases was seen. The patient is well and the treatment has been continued for 50 weeks. No progression has been seen. Bi-weekly nab-paclitaxel treatment appears to have few side effects and might be an effective treatment option for patients with recurrent breast cancer.