[A case of peritonitis carcinomatosa of pulmonary adenocarcinoma in which gefitinib was effective].

We report a case in which gefitinib was effective in reducing the amount of ascites. A 61-year-old man with peritonitis carcinomatosa due to metastasis from pulmonary adenocarcinoma was admitted to our hospital. Various chemotherapies were not effective for controlling his ascites. Therefore, we orally delivered gefitinib at a dose of 250 mg/day. Three days after administration, a reduction in the amount of ascites was noticed. Subjective symptoms including general fatigue and difficulty breathing were dramatically improved as was QOL. We conclude that this case was a good candidate for treatment using gefitinib.