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Lone Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Isolated Chest Wall Malignancy
Joseph Allencherril1, Sebastian Bruera1, Ronan Allencherril2
1Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, USA.
Case Reports in Medicine
|September 28, 2017
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presenting as an isolated chest mass without a primary liver lesion or known risk factors. It emphasizes considering ectopic carcinogenesis for unexplained tumors.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Radiology
Background:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically originates in the liver.
- Classical risk factors include hepatitis, alcohol abuse, and substance use.
- Ectopic HCC, or HCC presenting outside the liver, is exceedingly rare.
Observation:
- An elderly diabetic patient presented with dyspnea and a chest wall mass.
- CT imaging revealed a soft tissue mass in the left hemithorax.
- Biopsy confirmed metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Findings:
- The chest mass was diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- No primary liver lesion was identified on imaging.
- The patient lacked typical risk factors for HCC.
Implications:
- This case highlights the possibility of ectopic carcinogenesis.
- HCC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of isolated tumors with unclear primaries.
- Occult primary malignancies can present atypically, challenging diagnostic paradigms.
