title: Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver: difficult diagnosis of a rare neoplasm.
abstract: Primary neuroendocrine neoplasms of the liver are extremely rare: about 30 cases only have been described in the literature. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with a ten-year evolution. According to the previously reported cases, primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver is usually multicentric, often mimicking liver metastases. The demonstration of the hepatic origin of a neuroendocrine carcinoma is often arduous. A careful surgical exploration and a prolonged follow-up are mandatory. The treatment of choice is surgical resection when possible. For progressive and unresectable disease, hepatic arterial chemoembolization may be considered. However, the prognosis of liver neuroendocrine tumours is much more favorable than that of hepatocellular carcinoma and progression has to be demonstrated before instauration of potentially harmful therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Università di Torino, Italy. aferrero@inrete.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gallino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Aloisio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garavoglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin