Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as an asymptomatic appendiceal tumor: report of a case

Surg Today. 2013 Jun;43(6):685-9. doi: 10.1007/s00595-012-0257-y. Epub 2012 Jul 14.

Abstract

This report presents the case of a 66-year-old male with appendicular metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma. He had a clinical history of right lobectomy of the liver after the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma 3 years prior, and was admitted because of an asymptomatic appendiceal tumor detected by computed tomography. The appendiceal tumor was preoperatively suspected to be a recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, because of the patient's elevated level of serum α-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II, and based on the magnetic resonance imaging findings. An appendectomy was thus performed, and the histopathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of a metastatic tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma. Appendicular metastasis is extremely rare. This is only the second case of a metastatic appendiceal tumor from hepatocellular carcinoma reported in the English literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Appendectomy
  • Appendiceal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Appendiceal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Appendiceal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Appendiceal Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Recurrence
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • alpha-Fetoproteins