Apparent Spontaneous Regression Of Malignant Neoplasms After Radiography: Report Of Four Cases
Sasaki, J., Kurihara, H., Nakano, Y., Kotani, K., Tame, E., & Sasaki, A. (2016). Apparent spontaneous regression of malignant neoplasms after radiography: report of four cases. International journal of surgery case reports, 25, 40–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijscr.2016.05.049
View Original Source →Abstract
INTRODUCTION: On rare occasions, an apparently spontaneous regression of unknown etiology is observed in a neoplasm. We report a series of 4 patients with apparent spontaneous regression of malignant lymphomas after radiography. PRESENTATION OF CASE: All four of the tumors were malignant lymphomas. The regressions occurred between 1 and 2 months after the radiographic examinations. All four patients later underwent relapse and needed additional treatments: surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. DISCUSSSION: Four cases had the following features in common: (1) the neoplasms were radiosensitive, (2) the regression occurred after radiography, (3) none of the neoplasms was in the advanced stage, and (4) the doses received through radiographic exposure were a little higher than usual because CT was included for most of the patients. CONCLUSION: We suspect that the apparently spontaneous regression of malignant lymphomas was caused by the small radiation doses received in the radiographic examinations.
Case Details
Disease Location
Patient 2) front of neck, right thyroid
Personal Characteristics
83 -year-old female
Clinical Characteristics
A hard 2.5x3cm nodule located in the right thyroid lobe was found anti-thyroid antibodies were present, (tgab, ria;tpoab, ria) CT revealed a slightly heterogeneous solid tumor in the right thyroid lobe, thyroid cancer combined with hasimoto's disease was suspected, but fnab detected no cancer cells 8 months after first disappearance, reappeared, the right thyroid lobe was hard and smooth and had grown to 3x5cm, second fnab diagnosis was of nhl or small-cell carcinoma serum was positive for soluble IL-2 receptor antibody final diagnosis of malignant lymphoma of the thyroid was made received 40 gy of x-ray treatment
Remission Characteristics
The tumor disappeared unexpectedly one months after the first visit one months after 40 gy, the tumor disappeared the patient died 9 years later, naturally at 89 yo. There was no tumor recurrence
Treatment & Mechanisms
Proposed Remission Mechanisms
The lymphoma was radiosensitive, and size was reduced due to small-dose radiation from radiographic procedures
Clinical Treatment
40 gy of xray treatment
Non-Clinical Treatment
None reported