Isolated nasopharyngeal metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, the incidence of which parallels that of areas with high prevalence of chronic hepatitis. HCC commonly metastasizes to the lungs, lymph nodes, adrenals and bones with the overall prognosis of metastatic HCC being dismal.

We herein with present a case of a 70-year-old male who was referred to our institution with history of nasal obstruction and nasal bleeding which on further evaluation was diagnosed to have an isolated metastasis to nasopharynx from liver primary.

Extrahepatic metastasis in HCC occurs in about 30-50% of patients, the commonest site being the lung. Rare sites of extrahepatic metastasis from HCC to the ovaries, kidneys, skeletal and cardiac musculature and brain have been reported. Unusual sites of metastasis in the head and neck area like the mandible have also been documented. With the changing trends in the treatment modalities, these patients are often treated using target therapy.

This article presents an unusual isolated metastasis to nasopharynx from HCC in the absence of disseminated disease. This case report illustrates the distinctive pathological features of metastatic HCC.