Korean J Hepatol.  2006 Sep;12(3):449-454.

A Case of Complete Regression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma during Administration of COX-2 Inhibitor

• Song HJ
• Kim YS
• Han CH
• Jang JY
• Kim JH
• Cheon YK
• Kim YS
• Moon JH
• Cho YD
• Shim CS
• Kwon KH
• Kim BS

Abstract

Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. Inhibitors of COX-2 have proapoptotic and antiproliferative effects on malignant tumors and inhibit tumor invasion to the surrounding tissues. We report here a case of complete regression of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during COX-2 inhibitor administration. An eighty-year-old female was diagnosed as an advanced HCC, which was associated with HCV infection. She received COX-2 inhibitor for 3 months due to degenerative arthritis of both knees. Tumor enhancement on arterial phase CT completely disappeared without specific treatment for the HCC, and the tumor size decreased on the follow-up CT scan.

Keyword

Hepatocellular carcinoma; Complete regression; COX-2 inhibitor; Celecoxib

MeSH Terms

Aged, 80 and over
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*therapeutic use
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*drug therapy
Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use
Diclofenac/administration & dosage/analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use
Female
Humans
Lactones/administration & dosage/therapeutic use
Liver Neoplasms/*drug therapy
Pyrazoles/administration & dosage/therapeutic use
Sulfonamides/administration & dosage/therapeutic use
Sulfones/administration & dosage/therapeutic use