Spontaneous necrosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026

An Oncogenic Hepatocyte-Induced Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Cancer Arising in the Setting of Hepatic Inflammation and Fibrosis
Published on: September 12, 2019
Yoshikazu Morimoto1, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Toshinori Itoh
1Department of Surgery, Osaka Prefecture General Hospital, Osaka, Japan. yoshi-mo@vega.ocn.ne.jp
Background:
Spontaneous regression of a malignant tumor is a rare phenomenon. So far, 13 cases of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been described in the English literature. We report a case of HCC, with spontaneous complete necrosis demonstrated by histological examination.
Methods:
A 73-year-old male was admitted to our hospital complaining of general fatigue. CT and US revealed a huge mass measuring 9.5 cm at the left lobe. Angiographies showed hypovascular tumor stains. The levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and PIVKA-2 on admission were high, at 55 ng/ml and 62,300 mAU/ml, respectively. We diagnosed hypovascular HCC and performed a left lobectomy on October 16, 2000.
Results:
In the histological examination, no viable cells were found. The levels of AFP and PIVKA-2 had already decreased to 14 ng/ml and 1,420 mAU/ml, before laparotomy.
Conclusion:
Changes in tumor markers and histological findings reveal that this phenomenon occurred without specific treatment.
More Related Videos
08:15A Hepatocellular Cancer Patient-Derived Organoid Xenograft Model to Investigate Impact of Liver Regeneration on Tumor Growth
Published on: February 2, 2024
10:18Exploring the Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Sheet on The Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Vivo
Published on: September 11, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology
Liver Regeneration
Cells of Liver
The liver comprises four major types of cells— hepatocytes, stellate, Kupffer, and sinusoidal endothelial cells. The hepatocytes are large...
Cirrhosis I: Introduction
Necrosis
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become anucleated and die, but their...