title: Spontaneous necrosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spontaneous regression of a malignant tumor is a rare phenomenon. So far, 13 cases of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been described in the English literature. We report a case of HCC, with spontaneous complete necrosis demonstrated by histological examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 73-year-old male was admitted to our hospital complaining of general fatigue. CT and US revealed a huge mass measuring 9.5 cm at the left lobe. Angiographies showed hypovascular tumor stains. The levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and PIVKA-2 on admission were high, at 55 ng/ml and 62,300 mAU/ml, respectively. We diagnosed hypovascular HCC and performed a left lobectomy on October 16, 2000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the histological examination, no viable cells were found. The levels of AFP and PIVKA-2 had already decreased to 14 ng/ml and 1,420 mAU/ml, before laparotomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in tumor markers and histological findings reveal that this phenomenon occurred without specific treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Osaka Prefecture General Hospital, Osaka, Japan. yoshi-mo@vega.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Shigetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fushimi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins