Synchronous occurrence of primary gastric and liver cancer: A case report

Primary gastric and liver cancers rank among the most prevalent malignant tumors of the digestive tract. Despite their serious implications for health, the global age-standardized incidence remains relatively low, at ~11.1 per 100,000 for primary gastric cancer and ~8.657 per 100,000 for primary liver cancer. Although the occurrence of multiple primary malignancies is not uncommon in clinical practice, reports of synchronous primary gastric and liver cancer are exceedingly rare. The present study describes a case involving a 60-year-old man diagnosed with synchronous primary gastric and liver cancer. The patient underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for lesions located at the gastric angle, followed by laparoscopic resection of a small liver tumor. Pathological examinations revealed moderately differentiated intramucosal adenocarcinoma at the gastric angle and well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma in the liver. Following a 3-year follow-up, the patient remained in good health, with no evidence of disease recurrence. In conclusion, clinicians should exercise caution in patients presenting with distinct lesions to ensure that subtle malignancies are not overlooked, particularly in those with confirmed cancer. For patients with multiple cancers, it is crucial to ascertain whether the malignancies are primary, as this determination influences treatment strategies.