Stroke as an Initial Presentation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report

Malignancy and ischemic stroke are major causes of global morbidity and mortality. Thromboembolic strokes secondary to malignancy are uncommon but represent a critical consideration in cryptogenic stroke. We report the case of a 46-year-old female with no significant past medical history who presented with acute rightward gaze deviation. Brain MRI confirmed acute multifocal ischemic infarcts. An extensive workup, including CT angiography and echocardiography, ruled out common stroke mechanisms, leading to a diagnosis of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) per 2021 AHA guidelines. This prompted a hypercoagulability workup, which revealed a markedly elevated D-dimer. Subsequent investigation showed elevated liver enzymes, and abdominal imaging identified a hepatic mass with contrast-enhanced CT features highly suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The patient was transferred to oncology services for HCC management. At discharge, her neurological symptoms had partially improved, but she was lost to long-term follow-up, and thus her final oncological outcome is unknown.