Successful diagnosis and resection of icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma

We report a rare case of icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma with successful preoperative diagnosis and curative resection. A 50-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with fever elevation and jaundice. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography revealed a tumor at the hepatic hilum, which caused obstruction of the right and left hepatic duct. The tumor was suspected of being a hilar cholangiocarcinoma, but it was diagnosed as being a hepatocellular carcinoma by endoscopic retrograde bile duct biopsy. After percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage a right hemihepatectomy was performed. Subsequent pathological finding showed the tumor to be moderately-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (Edmondson III) which invaded into the right hepatic duct. The patient survived for three years without recurrence. Although patients with icteric type hepatocellular carcinoma have been reported to have a poor prognosis, earlier diagnosis and curative resection may occasionally bring them an improved prognosis.