title: Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and literature review.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Municipal Jen-Ai Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tsung-Jung
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chih-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Li-Sun
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Ting-An
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hsing-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Ran-Chou
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chaur-Shine
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: 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