Unusual metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma to the esophagus

Intern Med. 2005 May;44(5):444-7. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.44.444.

Abstract

This report describes a case of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presenting as a polypoid mass in the lower esophagus. The patient was a 63-year-old man with HCC. An endoscopic examination revealed a pedunculated polypoid mass, about 3 cm in diameter, at the lower part of the esophagus. The biopsy specimen obtained from the tumor revealed that the mass consisted of a pseudoglandular arrangement of tumor cells, and the tumor was diagnosed as metastatic HCC. There were no symptoms due to esophageal tumor. He died of progressive hepatic failure. Cases of premortem-diagnosed esophageal metastasis from HCC are extremely rare.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / secondary*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Endosonography
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Esophageal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Esophagoscopy
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed