Spontaneous regression of recurrent pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with alteration of PD-L1 expression after surgical resection: A case report.
Green HongChaeuk ChungDong Il ParkSong-I LeeJeong Eun LeeDa Hyun KangPublished in: Thoracic cancer (2023)
Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of non-small cell lung cancer with a poor prognosis. Spontaneous regression, that is, partial or complete disappearance of a malignancy without medical intervention, is extremely rare in LCNEC. Herein, we present a case of spontaneous complete regression in a 71-year-old male patient with recurrent LCNEC after surgical resection. The patient was diagnosed with stage IB LCNEC and underwent surgical resection. At 1-year follow-up, chest computed tomography revealed a recurrent lesion next to the stump site and enlargement of lymph nodes 4R and 7; recurrent LCNEC was confirmed. The patient declined chemoradiation therapy. One year after recurrence, the patient experienced severe multifocal necrotizing pneumonia and was treated with antibiotics, resulting in a gradual decrease in the size of the recurrent lesion. Five years after the initial diagnosis, positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed no hypermetabolic lesions, indicating the spontaneous complete regression of LCNEC.
Keyphrases
- computed tomography
- positron emission tomography
- poor prognosis
- single cell
- case report
- lymph node
- magnetic resonance imaging
- randomized controlled trial
- healthcare
- pulmonary hypertension
- cell therapy
- rectal cancer
- magnetic resonance
- radiation therapy
- mesenchymal stem cells
- early onset
- intensive care unit
- early stage
- image quality