[Metastatic hepatoma presenting as intracranial hemorrhage: report of two cases]

Metastasis of hepatoma to the central nervous system is rare, although hepatoma is a relatively common malignant tumor in Japan. Much rarer is metastatic hepatoma presenting as intracranial hemorrhage and there have been only 4 cases reported in the past. Here, we report two such rare cases with a literature review. Case 1 was a 26 years-old female with a history of 60% hepatic resection in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Later, she developed bilateral lung metastasis. She was admitted with complaints of headache, nausea and vomiting. Neurological findings were clear consciousness, right homonymous hemianopsia and bilateral papilledema. CT showed high-density mass in the left occipital lobe. Evacuation of hematoma and removal of tumor were performed. Pathological diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma of clear cell type. Later, two other hemorrhage occurred from different metastatic lesions in the left occipital lobe and the right occipital lobe, and the patient underwent two more surgeries. The patient died of lung metastasis, three months from neurological onset. Case 2 was a 42 years-old male who developed an intracranial tumor adjacent to the right temporal bone without a history of hepatoma. The tumor was removed, which turned out to be hepatocellular carcinoma pathologically. Three months later, on admission, the patient showed sudden neurological deterioration into deep coma. CT showed an irregular high-density mass in the right temporal lobe and evacuation of hematoma coupled with tumor removal was performed. Pathology was of trabecular type. Later, intracranial recurrence and bony metastasis to C5, L3 and the left iliac bone appeared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)