Keywords
Spontaneous regression, pulmonary small cell carcinoma, T lymphocyte-mediated immunity, atrial natriuretic peptide
Abstract
An 82-year-old man was examined using chest computed tomography after treatment for pneumonia. Imaging showed a nodular shadow in the left lower lobe with associated enlarged lymph nodes. A polypoid tumour was observed on bronchoscopic examination, and the histological findings showed pulmonary small cell carcinoma with infiltration of CD3-positive and CD8-positive lymphocytes. The patient declined any antitumoural therapy and experienced an exacerbation of heart failure treated with atrial natriuretic peptide. Eighteen months after the diagnosis, the polypoid tumour had disappeared. T lymphocyte-mediated immunity and the antitumoural effects of atrial natriuretic peptide may have influenced the observed spontaneous regression.
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