Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma is possible and might have implications for future therapies.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a potentially challenging cancer with very high mortality. Medical therapies are generally ineffective in achieving complete remission, especially for aggressive types or for advanced stage cancers. Spontaneous regression of these tumors is a rare and fascinating phenomenon. We describe such a patient with spontaneous regression of a large multi-focal hepatocellular carcinoma, and present a comprehensive review of the reported cases with a special emphasis on potential regression mechanisms.