Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2019 Apr;52(2):119-123. 10.5090/kjtcs.2019.52.2.119.

Lymph Node Metastasis after Spontaneous Regression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

• Jeong JH
• Choi PJ
• Yi JH
• Jeong SS
• Lee KN

• KMID: 2447614
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5090/kjtcs.2019.52.2.119

Abstract

Spontaneous regression of lung cancer is a very rare and poorly understood phenomenon. A 64-year-old man presented to Dong-A University Hospital with a shrunken nodule in the right lower lobe. Although the nodule showed a high likelihood of malignancy on needle aspiration biopsy, the patient refused surgery. The nodule spontaneously regressed completely in the next 17 months. However, the subcarinal lymph node was found to be enlarged 16 months after complete regression was observed. We pathologically confirmed metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma and performed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant chemoradiation. Regardless of tumor size reduction, it is preferable to perform surgery aggressively in cases of operable lung cancer.

Keyword

Lung neoplasms; Spontaneous neoplasm regression; Lymphatic metastasis; Surgery

MeSH Terms

Biopsy, Needle
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Drug Therapy
Humans
Lung Neoplasms
Lymph Nodes*
Lymphatic Metastasis
Middle Aged
Needles
Neoplasm Metastasis*
Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous