title: Bladder and liver involvement of visceral larva migrans may mimic malignancy.
abstract: Visceral larva migrans (VLM) syndrome is a clinical manifestation of systemic organ involvement by Toxocara species. VLM with involvement of the bladder and liver is a rare finding. A 62-year-old woman presented with diffuse bladder wall thickening and multiple liver masses with peripheral eosinophilia and urinary symptoms. We considered malignancy or eosinophilic cystitis through clinical manifestations and imaging findings. However, no suspicious malignant lesions were observed on cystoscopy and liver mass biopsy revealed the presence of eosinophilic necrotizing granuloma without malignant cells. Anti-Toxocara antibodies were detected by western blotting and the patient was diagnosed with VLM syndrome. After taking prednisolone, urinary symptoms disappeared. On abdominal CT scan taken after three months, the size of multiple liver masses and bladder wall thickening had decreased. VLM syndrome should be suspected in patients with an atypical imaging pattern and peripheral eosinophilia.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Ji
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ka-Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Sang
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeul Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Liver; Neoplasm; Toxocariasis; Urinary bladder; Visceral larva migrans