title: Fulminant hepatic failure and hepatomegaly caused by diffuse liver metastases from small cell lung carcinoma: 2 autopsy cases.
abstract: Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is defined as a liver disease that causes encephalopathy within 8 weeks of onset in the absence of pre-existing liver disease. Although liver metastases are commonly found in cancer patients, FHF secondary to diffuse liver infiltration is rare. Here, we report the rare autopsy cases of patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and secondary FHF. These patients presented with remarkable hepatomegaly and a near complete replacement of the liver parenchyma with metastatic tumor. Neoplastic involvement of the liver should be considered in the differential diagnosis of FHF.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Respiratory Medicine, Toyohashi Municipal Hospital, Japan. kazuhydesato@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gonda
authors.forename: Ryujiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged