Lung cancer with spontaneous regression of primary and metastatic sites: A case report

Abstract

Abstract. Partial or complete spontaneous cancer regression is a rare phenomenon, particularly in patients with lung cancer. This is the case report of a patient with lung cancer who exhibited spontaneous regression of the primary as well as metastatic lesions, without receiving any treatment. Spontaneous regression commenced within a week of obtaining pathological specimens by transbronchial and percutaneous biopsies from the primary lesion and metastatic lymph nodes of the left side of the neck. The reason for this phenomenon is unknown; however, we hypothesized that there may be an immunological association between the stimulus of the biopsies and the spontaneous regression. This patient should be closely followed up to monitor the clinical course of this unusual case.

Spontaneous regression of lung squamous cell carcinoma with synchronous mediastinal progression: A case report

“…Spontaneous regression (SR) implies the complete or partial, temporary or permanent disappearance of some or all parameters of malignant disease without or with adequate medical treatment . SR of metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is typically characterized by the synchronous reduction of primary and metastatic tumors . Herein, we present a rare case of the SR pattern in a patient with NSCLC and autoimmune disease in whom the primary tumor regressed after biopsy, but metastasis of mediastinal lymph nodes progressed.…”

“…1 SR of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is typically characterized by the synchronous reduction of primary and metastatic tumors. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Herein, we present a rare case of the SR pattern in a patient with NSCLC and autoimmune disease in whom the primary tumor regressed after biopsy, but metastasis of mediastinal lymph nodes progressed.…”

Spontaneous Regression of FDG/PET Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma in an Elderly Man

“…In the first case, spontaneous regression of the scalp metastatic lesion developed after 1 month following biopsy of the scalp mass and the regression of the primary lung lesion also developed 1 month after a transbronchial biopsy [3]. In the second case, spontaneous regression occurred not only www.journals.viamedica.pl in metastatic lesion of the cervical lymph nodes, but also in the primary lung lesion 1 month after obtaining the pathological specimens [4]. It is noteworthy that, in these two patients, spontaneous regression developed shortly after a direct invasive approach to the tumor lesions, which is highly suggestive of an association between the onset of the regression and a change in the intratumoral immunological mechanism between the host and the tumor.…”

“…We consider the following six facts as the grounds that inflammation is not involved in spontaneous regression in this patient, 1) there were no clinical symptoms suggesting involvement of inflammation throughout the clinical course, 2) there were no serological and bacteriological data suggesting involvement of inflammation throughout the clinical course, 3) there was no findings suggestive of inflammation in bronchoscopical examination, 4) there was no inflammatory cell infiltration in the biopsy specimen from the lesion, 5) There was no need for antibiotic administration to shrink the tumor, and 6) there was a shrinkage in the part of the tumor where FDG/PETCT scan was positive. We previously reported two patients aged 74 and 65, both of them had lung adenocarcinoma, exhibiting spontaneous regression [3,4]. In the first case, spontaneous regression of the scalp metastatic lesion developed after 1 month following biopsy of the scalp mass and the regression of the primary lung lesion also developed 1 month after a transbronchial biopsy [3].…”

“…Although spontaneous regression has been reported in various malignant diseases [2]. Despite its incidence in a variety of malignant disorders, spontaneous regression in lung cancer is considered to be a particularly rare event [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”