Spontaneous Partial Regression Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In A Cirrhotic Patient.
Meza-Junco, J., monthstaño-Loza, A. J., MARTinez-Benítez, B., & Cabrera-Aleksandrova, T. (2007). spontaneous partial regression of hepatocellular carcinoma in a cirrhotic patient. Annals of hepatology, 6(1), 66–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1665-2681(19)31957-X
View Original Source →Abstract
Spontaneous regression of a malignant tumor is an exceptional phenomenon. A 56-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis C presented with a liver tumor. Partial regression of a hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed by imaging studies that showed progressive diminution of the size of the tumor and changes in the tumor markers. However, because of the persistence of the tumor and uncertainty in the diagnosis we recommended surgery. A hepatectomy was performed and a hepatocellular carcinoma moderately differentiated was found. The patient is now doing well and without any evidence of recurrence at 25 months after surgery. We found 61 case reports that have been published from 1982 to September 2006, with apparently spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma. The precise mechanism regarding the spontaneous regression of this tumor is not fully understood, either ischemia due to rapid growth of the neoplasia or particular inflammatory and immunologic mechanisms may be involved in the regression of the hepatocellular carcinoma.
Case Details
Disease Location
Liver
Personal Characteristics
56-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis due to HCV infection
Clinical Characteristics
2004 stage a of the child-pugh classification, and an abdominal ultrasound detected a liver tumour, that was confirmed with a magnetic resonance image (MRI), showing a tumour of 6x5 cm of diameter in the segment v of the liver.
Remission Characteristics
Six months later, the tumour had been diminished, its dimensions were 3x2.5 cm. In august of the same year, the tumour was surgically removed with the segments v and viii of the liver. The pathology report was of a hepatocellular carcinoma moderately differentiated of 2.8 vs 2.6 cm, margins were clear of tumour, there was imporightant necrosis around the tumour, and it also has macronodular cirrhosis with intense activity (figure 3). The patient did not receive adjuvant treatment, and after 25 months of surgery she is doing well, with no evidence of tumour recurrence at CT scan and the AFP level is still within the normal range.
Treatment & Mechanisms
Proposed Remission Mechanisms
Disturbance of the blood supply on the peripheral side
Clinical Treatment
Surgical removal of the segments v and viii of the liver.