Chest wall metastasis from unknown primary site of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Previous reports of a solitary metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma have been rare. Because this tumor has a different treatment modality and prognosis, an accurate differential diagnosis is essential. Here we report a rare case of a solitary chest wall metastasis from unknown primary site of hepatocellular carcinoma. It involves a 51-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital because of a palpable left upper chest wall mass. The mass was resected and pathologic examination confirmed a diagnosis of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite our investigation, no evidence was found that indicated the primary origin of the hepatocellular carcinoma. Four months later, the patient was admitted again because of spinal cord compression at the third and fourth thoracic vertebrae. Emergent decompressive laminectomy was performed and microscopic features revealed the same pathology as the initial chest wall mass resected 4 months earlier. After one year, a follow-up abdominal computed tomography (CT) still revealed no evidence of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hyun
Yil-Sik
YS
Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Ho-Soon
HS
Bae
Joong-Ho
JH
Jun
Dae-Won
DW
Lee
Hang-Lak
HL
Lee
Oh-Young
OY
Yoon
Byung-Chul
BC
Lee
Min-Ho
MH
Lee
Dong-Hoo
DH
Kee
Choon-Shuk
CS
Kang
Jung-Ho
JH
Park
Moon-Hyang
MH
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed