A 59-year-old woman achieved remission from a cancerous arm tumor without further treatment after a diagnostic biopsy. The procedure appears to have sparked an immune response that eliminated the myxofibrosarcoma within weeks. This marks one of only nine known similar cases.
A 59-year-old woman discovered a rapidly growing lump in her arm, measuring 2 centimeters wide, a few weeks before seeking medical help. The growth, located in the connective tissue between her skin and muscle, caused pain and discomfort. Rohit Sharma at Marshfield Clinic Health System in Wisconsin performed a biopsy using a thin needle after marking the site with tattoo ink. The sample confirmed myxofibrosarcoma, an aggressive cancer likely to spread, according to Sharma. “It was likely to spread, [and] cancers kill by spreading,” says Sharma. Two weeks later, when the woman returned for surgery, clinicians found the tumor had completely disappeared. “She said that after the biopsy, it had started to go down within three [to] four days,” Sharma reported. Surgeons excised surrounding tissue, which showed no remaining cancer cells. The rapid resolution points to an immune reaction triggered by the biopsy, Sharma explained. The procedure may have killed some cancer cells, releasing signals that activated natural killer cells and T cells to target the tumor. “The timing of the biopsy and resolution suggests there’s an immune reaction occurring,” he said. Toby Lawrence at the Centre for Immunology of Marseille-Luminy in France, who was not involved, called the case “extremely remarkable.” It suggests immune activation from biopsy injury with rapid effects on tumor growth. Lawrence noted that such patients likely have unique genetic or environmental factors enabling strong immune responses. Researchers, including Sharma, plan to study these rare cases through a database and mouse models to develop new therapies. Caetano Reis e Sousa at the Francis Crick Institute in London highlighted potential for drugs mimicking this effect. “If we understand the mechanism by which biopsy is making those cells visible to the immune system, we could harness it,” he said.
