Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma and review of literature

A 68-year-old man presented with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma, which was considered to be unresectable at the first admission in January 1994. Pathological diagnosis was made by biopsy of the one lesion among them. From January 1994 to December 1997, 10 transarterial chemoembolizations and six percutaneous ethanol injection therapies were performed on the tumours in the cirrhotic liver. In February 1998 the tumour situated in the right lobe began to increase in size. The maximum tumour diameter was 6.3 cm measured by computed tomography (CT). In the beginning of May 1998 moderate ascites was present and mild hepatic encephalopathy was noticed. The patient was in the terminal stage of hepatocellular carcinoma and no further treatment was possible at that time. However, serum alpha -fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II dramatically decreased in June 1998. The CT scan also showed that the tumour had completely regressed without specific treatment. In February 1999 a new biopsy-proven hepatocellular carcinoma, 2 cm in diameter, developed in the lateral segment of the liver. It was well treated by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. The patient was alive in good condition without any symptoms or tumour recurrence in June 1999. It was concluded that a rare case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma had occurred. (C) 2000 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.