A PATIENT WITH α-FETOPROTEIN PRODUCING RECTAL CANCER SURVIVED FOR A LONG TIME WITH INTENSIVE THERAPIES

Abstract

This paper presents a patient with α-fetoprotein (AFP) producing rectal cancer, that is believed to have a poor prognosis, survived for a long time by intensive therapies including radiation therapy.
A 54-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because of general fatigue. Close exploration disclosed rectal cancer and an operation was performed. Serum AFP level which was as high as 20, 100ng/ml before operation was normalized after the operation. Histopathologically AFP-producing rectal cancer was diagnosed. As the AFP level started to increase one year after the operation, metastases to the lymph nodes, lung, brain, and liver were confirmed. These lesions well responded to operation, chemotherapy, and especially radiation, and a long-term control for 3 years and 2 months could be attained.
We rarely encounter case reports of AFP-producing rectal cancer, and it is known that the cancer is often resistant to chemotherapy and has a poor prognosis. In this case, radiation therapy was effective for every metastatic lesion. This case might suggest a possibility that radiation therapy is a therapy of choice for AFP-producing rectal cancer.