Pulmonary metastases from primary hepatocellular carcinoma in a 26-year-old patient: a case report.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary tumor of the liver, which usually develops in the setting of chronic liver disease, particularly viral hepatitis. The diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma can be difficult, and often requires the use of serum markers, one or more imaging modalities, and histological confirmation. The authors describe a case of a 26-year-old woman with hepatocellular carcinoma and multiple pulmonary metastases. She presented with hepatomegaly and sporadic fever, and had negative hepatitis serology, normal alkaline phosphatase, and a rising serum alpha-fetoprotein level. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology, after percutaneous liver biopsy. Although the patient was in good health condition and had few symptoms, there was no possibility of treatment due to the extension of the liver tumor and the number of pulmonary metastases.

• Authors: Carla Assed, Edson Marchiori, Gláucia Zanetti, Claudia Mauro Mano, Branca Sarcinelli-Luz, Flávia Gavinho Vianna, Juliana França Carvalho, Isabella Guedes Santos, Alair Augusto Santos, Alberto Domingues Vianna
• Journal: Cases journal (Cases J) Vol. 2 Pg. 6256 (Aug 10 2009) ISSN: 1757-1626 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19918566 (Publication Type: Case Reports)