Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.
A case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma is reported and compared with the reports published in the English literature. Spontaneous regression of a histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in a 42-year-old male patient with chronic hepatitis B. The patient refused to receive any medical therapy. The tumor subsequently regressed without specific treatment, as demonstrated radiologically by computed tomography 22 months and ultrasonography 24 months after initial diagnosis. We review 27 case reports of apparently spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma that have been published in the English literature from 1982 to 2002. In this report, we present our unusual case and discuss possible causes of spontaneous total necrosis or regression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Lin
Tsung-Jung
TJ
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Municipal Jen-Ai Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Liao
Li-Ying
LY
Lin
Chih-Lin
CL
Shih
Li-Sun
LS
Chang
Ting-An
TA
Tu
Hsing-Yang
HY
Chen
Ran-Chou
RC
Wang
Chaur-Shine
CS
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed