Malignant metastatic tumours in the liver: an African series

Ninety-three (40.6%) cases have metastatic tumour deposits in the liver out of all the primary malignant tumours seen at autopsy during the study period (1983-86). An overwhelming preponderance (39.8%) of hepatic metastases was due to tumours of the reticulo-endothelial system. This is notable when compared with the reports in the Caucasians. Many of the patients presented as if they were primary liver tumours with weight loss, hepatomegaly, abdominal discomfort and upper abdominal mass as major clinical features. This study has shown that a cirrhotic liver is particularly immune to invasion by metastases, when compared with the incidence of primary cancer in cirrhotic livers (Z = 9.32; P less than 0.001).