Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of SR cases linked to infection reported during 2018–2020.
| Patient age and gender | Cancer type showing SR | Diagnostic methods | Features of the remission | Associated history or details | Follow up to confirm the SR | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 Y F | MM | CT, chest X-ray, MRI | SR was observed after episodes of fever No sign of reoccurrence when tested subsequently |
The fever episodes were not tretaed with any medication. It is a remarkable recovery from stage IV melanoma with dissappearance of the most of the tumours and stabilization of the remaining ones. | > 2.5 Y | [31] |
| 58 Y M | AML | Bone marrow biopsy, blood counts, CT | Myeloblast counts significantly reduced (from a 25% increase) to normal levels after two weeks of gastrointestinal infection (GI). | The patient suffered GI due to which intravenous antibiotics were given. Blood transfusions were performed. |
> 2 Y | [34] |
| 40 Y M | AML | Bone marrow biopsy, blood counts, flow-cytometric analysis, CT | Blast cell percentage came down to normal levels after three weeks since the diagnosis. | S. aureus growth was obsreved in blood cultures, and antibiotics were given. The patient had episodes of fever. Frequent blood transfusions were required. | 6 M | [43] |
| 42 Y F | AML | CT, blood counts, bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, flow cytometry | Significant decrease in blast cell count and simultaneous recovery from pneumonia after four weeks of detection in 2017. Blast cell counts were normalized in the subsequent four weeks. | The patient was previously diagnosed with AML in 2000 and underwent chemotherapy. Also, allogenic blood stem cell transplantation was performed. 17 years later, the patient suffered severe pneumonia and again developed AML (relapse). Antibiotics were given to treat pneumonia and the AML regressed |
14 M | [35] |
| 31 Y F | ALL | Blood counts, flow-cytometric analysis, bone marrow biopsy | Blood samples came negative for ALL. CR was observed in 42 days after the 1st diagnosis. The patient experienced a relapse of ALL twice. After each relapse, the patient exhibited septic shock followed by SR. |
The patient was pregnant when diagnosed with ALL for the first time. She experienced fever, pancytopenia, and inflammation and delivered a healthy preterm child. Blood transfusions were on during the treatment. |
NA | [44] |
| 47 Y M | Non-Hodgkin FL | Blood counts, Bone marrow and lymph node biopsy, CT, PET | Three months after diagnosis, blood counts were normal and the CT scan showed regression in lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. | The patient had H. pylori infection during this course and was given antibiotics. | 2 Y | [38] |
| 76 Y M | Myelodysplasia | Blood count , CT | The patient was diagnosed with transfusion-dependent myelodysplasia in2011, followed by urinary bladder cancer in 2014. During the treatment of bladder cancer with BCG (2015-2016), SR was observed for myelodysplasia. | The patient suffered anemia since 2008 and developed myelodysplasia in 2011. Blood transfusions were on. The patient developed a bladder tumour, for which tumour resection was performed and an intravesical BCG course was on . Bladder cancer showed no reoccurrence. |
NA | [45] |
(Y- years, M-months, F-female, M-male, CR- complete recovery, CT- computed tomography, MRI- magnetic resonance imaging, MM- metastatic melanoma, AML- acute myeloid leukemia ALL- acute lymphoblastic leukemia, FL- follicular lymphoma, BCG- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, NA- not available, PET- positron emission tomography, NA- Not available)