Polycythemia and elevated serum erythropoietin associated with a liver haemangioma.
BACKGROUND
Secondary polycythemia is a rare condition, which is usually associated to neoplasia or chronic pulmonary disorders.


METHODS
A 41-year-old man man with no history of liver disease was admitted for erythrocytosis. The paraclinical investigations revealed an increased erythropoietin level in the serum and a voluminous hepatic tumor but its identification was unclear. A liver resection was performed and the histopathological examination concluded that the tumor was a giant cavernous haemangioma with extensive myxoid changes. After surgical resection of the haemangioma, normal haemoglobin and serum erythropoietin were obtained without any further treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Liver haemangioma must be included in rare cause of secondary polycythemia, and surgical resection of the haemangioma should be considered as the standard to induce complete remission.
Lanne
Jean-Sébastien
JS
Fédération des spécialités digestives, hôpital Édouard-Herriot, hospices civils de Lyon, pavillon Hbis, 69437 Lyon cedex 03, France.
Dumortier
Jérôme
J
Hervieu
Valérie
V
Pilleul
Frank
F
Scoazec
Jean-Yves
JY
Adham
Mustapha
M
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; D004921:Erythropoietin