title: Multiple ectopic hepatocellular carcinomas arising in the abdominal cavity.
abstract: Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very rare clinical entity that is defined as HCC arising from extrahepatic liver tissue. This report presents a case of ectopic multiple HCC arising in the abdominal cavity. A 42-year-old otherwise healthy male presented with liver dysfunction at a general health checkup. Both HCV antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen were negative. Laboratory examination showed elevations in serum alpha-fetoprotein and PIVKA-II. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed multiple nodular lesions in the abdominal cavity with ascites without a possible primary tumor. Exploratory laparoscopy was performed, which revealed bloody ascites and multiple brown nodular tumors measuring approximately 10 mm in size that were disseminated on the perineum and mesentery. A postoperative PET-CT scan was performed but it did not reveal any evidence of a tumor in the liver. The tumors resected from the peritoneum were diagnosed as HCC. The present case of HCC was thought to have possibly developed from ectopic liver on the peritoneum or mesentery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aisu
authors.forename: Syu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanimura
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hisano
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kuno
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sohda
authors.forename: Shotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakisaka
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
keywords: Abdominal cavity; Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma; Ectopic liver; Hepatocellular carcinoma