Intraperitoneal metastasis after spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. It is usually manifested in the 6th and 7th decade of life. Extrahepatic metastases are seen in 64% of patients with HCC. The most frequent sites of extrahepatic metastases are lung, abdominal lymph node and bone, but peritoneal dissemination is unusual. Rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma is a life-threatening complication. The incidence of spontaneous rupture of HCC is about 8% - 26% in Asia and accounts for the 10% mortality of HCC patients. However, peritoneal metastasis after spontaneous rupture of HCC is seldom noted.

An article to be published on 28 June 2008, in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this report. The research team led by Prof. Min-Chang Hung from Chang Bing Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital of Taiwan reported a case with intraperitoneal metastasis after spontaneous HCC rupture.

A previously asymptomatic 72-year-old man was admitted due to dull abdominal pain with abdominal fullness. He had rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma history ten months ago and transarterial embolization had been performed at that time. Abdominal CT scan showed a huge peritoneal mass over right upper quadrant area. Surgical resection was arranged and subsequent microscopic examination confirmed a diagnosis of moderately differentiated HCC.

Because few cases of peritoneal metastases after ruptured HCC had been reported, the association between the metastatic tumor and viral infection (HBV or HCV), AFP level, or age was lacking.

Reference: Hung MC, Wu HS, Lee YT, Hsu CH, Chou DA, Huang MH. Intraperitoneal metastasis after spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report. World J Gastroenterol 2008;14(24): 3927-3931
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/14/3927.asp

Correspondence to: Min-Chang Hung, Department of surgery, Chang Bing Show-Chwan Memorial Hospital, No, 6, Lugang Rd., Lugang Township, Changhua 505, Taiwan, China. hmjjohn@mail2000.com.tw
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World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

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