Journal of Chest Surgery

The Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (대한심장혈관흉부외과학회)
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Lymph Node Metastasis after Spontaneous Regression of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

  • Jeong, Jae Hwa (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine) ;
  • Choi, Pil Jo (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yi, Jung Hoon (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jeong, Sang Seok (Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Ki Nam (Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Hospital, Dong-A University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2018.09.07
  • Accepted : 2018.11.01
  • Published : 2019.04.05
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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.

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References

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