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 4) ileocecal region
Personal Characteristics
60 -year-old male
Clinical Characteristics
A fist-sized hard fixed tumor in the ileocecal region was found which was causing an incomplete obstruction of the intestine. 10 plain abdominal x-ray exams were performed and ileocecal cancer was at first suspected upon instillation of barium through a denis tube performed concurrently with a barium enema, a slight narrowing of the ileum due to the presence of the tumor was seen superiormesenteric arteriography was revealed no vascular connection between the tumor and the intestine laparotomy was performed and revealed a hemispherical tumor that was 3cm thick, hard, and fixed to both retroperitoneum and the intestine the tumor was unresectable and so ileo-colostomy was carried biopsy of the tumor revealed a malignant lymphoma the patient died reportedly from tumor recurrence
Remission Characteristics
The tumor had shrunk and disappeared one months after the superior mesenteric arteriography, but the subileus remained
Treatment & Mechanisms
Proposed Remission Mechanisms
The lymphoma was radiosensitive, and size was reduced due to small-dose radiation from radiographic procedures
Clinical Treatment
Barium enema
Non-Clinical Treatment
None reported