Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Case report

Repeated episodes of spontaneous regression/progression of cervical adenocarcinoma after adjuvant chemoradiation therapy: a case report

Authors: Atsuto Katano, Ryousuke Takenaka, Kae Okuma, Hideomi Yamashita, Keiichi Nakagawa

Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Introduction

Spontaneous regression of cancer is thought to be a rare event. Here, we report an extremely rare case of repeated episodes of spontaneous regression and progression of recurrent cervical adenocarcinoma.

Case presentation

We report here a case of a 56-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with cervical adenocarcinoma. Her hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were swollen 6 years after the initial diagnosis and subsequent treatment, and were found to be pathologically malignant by mediastinal biopsy. Then, without any treatment, the hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes spontaneously regressed with decreases in tumor size and serum tumor marker levels, as confirmed by a decrease in uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose during positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Subsequently, although there were repeated episodes of increase and decrease in her serum tumor marker levels and lymph node size, her activities of daily living were and are well preserved.

Conclusions

While spontaneous regression of a malignant tumor is a rare event, our case is even rarer in that repeated episodes of spontaneous regression/progression of cervical adenocarcinoma occurred.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Everson TC, Cole WH. Spontaneous regression of cancer: a study and abstract of reports in the world medical literature and of personal communications concerning spontaneous regression of malignant disease. Philadelphia and London: WB Saunders Company; 1966. Everson TC, Cole WH. Spontaneous regression of cancer: a study and abstract of reports in the world medical literature and of personal communications concerning spontaneous regression of malignant disease. Philadelphia and London: WB Saunders Company; 1966.
2.
3.
go back to reference Challis GB, Stam HJ. The spontaneous regression of cancer. A review of cases from 1900 to 1987. Acta Oncol. 1990;29:545–50.CrossRefPubMed Challis GB, Stam HJ. The spontaneous regression of cancer. A review of cases from 1900 to 1987. Acta Oncol. 1990;29:545–50.CrossRefPubMed
4.
go back to reference Abdelrazeq AS. Spontaneous regression of colorectal cancer: a review of cases from 1900 to 2005. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2007;22:727–36.CrossRefPubMed Abdelrazeq AS. Spontaneous regression of colorectal cancer: a review of cases from 1900 to 2005. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2007;22:727–36.CrossRefPubMed
5.
go back to reference Iwanaga T. Studies on cases of spontaneous regression of cancer in Japan in 2011, and of hepatic carcinoma, lung cancer and pulmonary metastases in the world between 2006 and 2011. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2013;40(11):1475–87.PubMed Iwanaga T. Studies on cases of spontaneous regression of cancer in Japan in 2011, and of hepatic carcinoma, lung cancer and pulmonary metastases in the world between 2006 and 2011. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2013;40(11):1475–87.PubMed
6.
go back to reference Kondo S, Okusaka T, Ueno H, Ikeda M, Morizane C. Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Clin Oncol. 2006;11:407–11.CrossRefPubMed Kondo S, Okusaka T, Ueno H, Ikeda M, Morizane C. Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Clin Oncol. 2006;11:407–11.CrossRefPubMed
7.
go back to reference Christian B, Thomas FG, Andreas M. Interaction of PD-L1 on tumor cells with PD-1 on tumor-specific T cells as a mechanism of immune evasion: implications for tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2005;54:307–14.CrossRef Christian B, Thomas FG, Andreas M. Interaction of PD-L1 on tumor cells with PD-1 on tumor-specific T cells as a mechanism of immune evasion: implications for tumor immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2005;54:307–14.CrossRef
8.
go back to reference Topalian SL, Hodi FS, Brahmer JR, Gettinger SN, Smith DC, McDermott DF, et al. Safety, activity, and immune correlates of anti-PD-1 antibody in cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:2443–54.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral Topalian SL, Hodi FS, Brahmer JR, Gettinger SN, Smith DC, McDermott DF, et al. Safety, activity, and immune correlates of anti-PD-1 antibody in cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:2443–54.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
10.
go back to reference Okuma K, Yamashita H, Niibe Y, Hayakawa K, Nakagawa K. Abscopal effect of radiation on lung metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2011;5:111.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral Okuma K, Yamashita H, Niibe Y, Hayakawa K, Nakagawa K. Abscopal effect of radiation on lung metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2011;5:111.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
11.
go back to reference Takaya M, Niibe Y, Tsunoda S, Jobo T, Imai M, Kotani S, et al. Abscopal effect of radiation on toruliform para-aortic lymph node metastases of advanced uterine cervical carcinoma: a case report. Anticancer Res. 2007;27(1B):499–503.PubMed Takaya M, Niibe Y, Tsunoda S, Jobo T, Imai M, Kotani S, et al. Abscopal effect of radiation on toruliform para-aortic lymph node metastases of advanced uterine cervical carcinoma: a case report. Anticancer Res. 2007;27(1B):499–503.PubMed
12.
go back to reference Punit K, Alexzander A. Radiation-induced effects and the immune system in cancer. Front Oncol. 2012;2:191. Punit K, Alexzander A. Radiation-induced effects and the immune system in cancer. Front Oncol. 2012;2:191.
13.
go back to reference Niibe Y, Chang JY. Novel insights of oligometastases and oligo-recurrence and review of the literature. Pulm Med. 2012;Article ID 261096:5. Niibe Y, Chang JY. Novel insights of oligometastases and oligo-recurrence and review of the literature. Pulm Med. 2012;Article ID 261096:5.
Metadata
Title
Repeated episodes of spontaneous regression/progression of cervical adenocarcinoma after adjuvant chemoradiation therapy: a case report
Authors
Atsuto Katano
Ryousuke Takenaka
Kae Okuma
Hideomi Yamashita
Keiichi Nakagawa
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Medical Case Reports / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1947
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-015-0578-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

Journal of Medical Case Reports 1/2015 Go to the issue