Open AccessCase of clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma that developed in the normal liver of a middle-aged woman
Author(s) -
Atsushi Takahashi,
Hironobu Saito,
Yukiko Kanno,
Kazumichi Abe,
Junko Yokokawa,
Atsushi Irisawa,
Akira Kenjo,
Takuro Saito,
Mitsukazu Gotoh,
Hiromasa Ohira
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.14.129
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , carcinoembryonic antigen , pathology , liver biopsy , hepatectomy , liver function , liver function tests , biopsy , carcinoma , liver cell , liver tumor , gastroenterology , cancer , resection , surgery
A 36-year-old woman was admitted to our department for close examination of a liver tumor that was found during a medical checkup. Abdominal US, CT and MRI showed a tumor in segment 7 (S7) of the liver. Although imaging suggested hepatocellular carcinoma, laboratory tests showed no abnormality in liver function, hepatitis virus markers were negative, and tumor markers including protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were all within normal ranges. Upon aspiration biopsy of the liver, the histopathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, right hepatectomy was performed. Although a part of the tumor was necrotic, about 60% of the viable part showed a clear-cell variant. Consequently, it was diagnosed as clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma. It was noted that the background liver tissue was normal. This case is worthy of reporting because development of clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma in the normal liver of a middle-aged woman is rarely seen.