title: 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.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Fluminense Federal University Rio de Janeiro, Rua Thomaz Cameron, 438, Valparaiso CEP 25685.120 Brazil. carlassed@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assed
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchiori
authors.forename: Gláucia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Claudia Mauro
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Branca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarcinelli-Luz
authors.forename: Flávia Gavinho
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.forename: Juliana França
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Isabella Guedes
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Alair Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Alberto Domingues
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vianna