title: Asymptomatic advanced hepatocellular carcinoma presenting with spinal cord compression.
abstract: HCC is the most frequent primary malignancy of the liver and one of the most common cancers in the world. HCC is substantially a complication of liver cirrhosis, and because HBV and HCV are the predominant causes of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis worldwide, they have a propensity to lead to HCC. Common sites of HCC metastases include the lung, lymph nodes, and portal vein. Bony metastases are rare, and when they do occur the disease is usually far advanced and is associated with clinical manifestations of abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, hepato-splenomegaly, ascities, deranged LFTs, and elevated AFP. We report here a patient with asymptomatic advanced HCC, normal LFTs, and normal AFP values presenting with spinal cord compression.
authors.forename: Victor A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
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