Spontaneous Regression of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The tumor carries poor prognosis with curative therapeutic options limited to surgical resection, tumor ablation, and liver transplantation. Rarely, there is spontaneous regression of the tumor. We describe the case of a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dhiraj J. Sonbare, Rupal Bandi, Vivek Sharma, Thomas Cacciarelli, Obaid S. Shaikh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karger Publishers 2020-10-01
Series:Case Reports in Gastroenterology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/508847
Description
Summary:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The tumor carries poor prognosis with curative therapeutic options limited to surgical resection, tumor ablation, and liver transplantation. Rarely, there is spontaneous regression of the tumor. We describe the case of a 74-year-old male with cirrhosis from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis who developed advanced HCC that was associated with tumor invasion of the portal vein and marked elevation of serum alfa-fetoprotein level. The patient received no cancer-specific therapy. However, 1 year after the initial diagnosis, he was noted to have complete regression of the tumor. In this report, we discuss possible mechanisms of spontaneous tumor regression and its therapeutic implications.
ISSN:1662-0631