Interleukin-8 producing hepatocellular carcinoma with pyrexia

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary Medicine
• Oncology
• Immunology

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically presents without significant pyrexia or elevated C-reactive protein (CRP).
• Atypical presentations of HCC can complicate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Observation:

• A 50-year-old male with pre-existing liver dysfunction presented with prolonged fever and fatigue.
• Preoperative imaging revealed HCC with portal vein tumor thrombus, necessitating surgical resection (posterior segmentectomy and thrombectomy).

Findings:

• The patient experienced rapid tumor recurrence post-surgery, succumbing 79 days after the operation.
• Immunohistochemical analysis of the HCC tissue identified the production of the proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8).

Implications:

• IL-8 production by HCC may be associated with clinical manifestations like high fever and systemic inflammatory response.
• This finding suggests IL-8 as a potential factor contributing to aggressive tumor behavior and poor prognosis in select HCC cases.