The prognosis for gastric cancer with liver metastasis continues to be poor. We present our preliminary findings from 4 cases of liver metastasis from gastric adenocarcinomas treated using radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Between 1995 and 2004, the clinical history and course of 4 patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation for liver metastases from gastric cancer were reviewed. Two patients with smaller metachronous metastasis are currently alive without recurrence at 16 and 14 months and the other patients with larger synchronous metastatic lesions died after 4 and 12 months after RFA. Although this study was limited to a few cases and had a short follow-up duration, our findings suggest that RFA may provide an alternative treatment modality for liver metastasis resulting from gastric adenocarcinoma. Additional study is needed with a larger group of patients and longer follow up to evaluate the efficacy of RFA.
Adenocarcinoma/radiography/*secondary/*therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Catheter Ablation/*methods ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/radiography/*secondary/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Stomach Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Extrahepatic metastasis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs frequently. The most common site of metastasis is the lung, followed by regional lymph nodes and bones. However, gastrointestinal metastasis of HCC is a rare condition and solitary polypoid metastatic lesion on stomach without any evidence of direct invasion from primary mass is very rare. These metastatic lesions are usually asymptomatic, and most are discovered at postmortem examination or are found incidentally during laparotomy. The choice of treatment for gastrointestinal metastatic lesion of HCC includes surgery, transarterial chemoembolization, and local injection but the treatment is often difficult and unsuccessful. We report a case of 69 years old man who presented disappearance of a polypoid metastatic lesion of HCC on the gastric fundus by transarterial chemoembolization.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/secondary/therapy ; *Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Duodenoscopy ; Gastric Fundus/radiography ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Male ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis/secondary/therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is extremely rare. We report a case of 67-year-old man having HBV-associated HCC with multiple lung metastases which regressed spontaneously. The patient had single liver mass and received surgical resection. The mass was confirmed as HCC histopathologically. Nine years after surgical resection, a 3.3 cm sized recurred HCC was detected on the resection margin in CT scan. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was performed 3 times, and lung metastases developed thereafter. The patient received 2 more sessions of TACE, however, metastatic lung nodules were in progress very rapidly. We decided to stop TACE and followed the patient regularly without any anti-cancer treatment. Nine months after development of lung metastasis, the size and number of metastatic lung nodules decreased and were not detected anymore after 14 months. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels also decreased to normal range and no viable tumor was noted in the liver. The patient is still alive 12 years after the first diagnosis of HCC and 16 months after lung metastasis developed.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*pathology/secondary/therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/*pathology/therapy ; Lung Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radiography/secondary ; Male ; Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous ; Neoplasm Staging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis

No abstract available.
Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology/*radiography ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiography/secondary ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with multiple lung metastases has a poor prognosis with no effective treatment having been established. This study evaluated the outcomes of systemic chemotherapy for advanced HCC with multiple lung metastases. METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2006, 68 patients were diagnosed with HCC presenting with multiple lung metastases. Sixteen patients in the terminal stage, such as Child-Pugh grade `C' or an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status exceeding grade 2, were excluded from the analysis. The following treatment modalities were applied: 26 patients received primary tumor treatment (transarterial chemoembolization or intra-arterial chemotherapy) with systemic chemotherapy, 10 patients received primary treatment only, 8 patients received systemic chemotherapy only, and 8 patients received highly supportive care. The treatment responses and median survival times for the modalities were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The median age of the 52 analyzed patients (45 males) was 52.4 years. The most common etiology of HCC was chronic hepatitis B virus infection (n=44, 84.6%) followed by hepatitis C virus infection (n=2, 3.8%), with the etiology being unknown in 6 cases (11.5%). The treatment modality had no significant effect on the treatment response rate (P=0.432) or median survival time (133, 66, 74, and 96 days for primary tumor treatment with systemic chemotherapy, primary tumor treatment only, systemic chemotherapy only, and highly supportive care, respectively; P=0.067). CONCLUSIONS: We found that systemic chemotherapy was not effective in treating HCC presenting with multiple lung metastases. Improving the effectiveness of systemic treatment and selecting patients who would benefit from such treatment remains a major challenge.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*drug therapy/radiography/*secondary ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*drug therapy/pathology/radiography ; Lung Neoplasms/radiography/*secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome

Bone is a common site of metastasis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We report a rare case of rib metastasis from HCC treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). A 55-year-old man with liver cirrhosis presented with right lower chest pain. The diagnosis was an HCC with a bone metastasis in the right eighth rib. Intra-arterial injections of doxorubicin mixed with Lipiodol and Gelfoam particles were instituted through the right eighth intercostal artery. Computed tomography and a Tc99-labeled scan performed 2 months after the third TACE revealed no viable HCC in the right eighth rib.
Bone Neoplasms/radiography/secondary/*therapy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/secondary/*therapy ; *Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Doxorubicin/administration & dosage ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable/administration & dosage ; Hepatic Artery/pathology ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Arterial ; Iodized Oil/administration & dosage ; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Ribs/radiography/radionuclide imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Reports of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without a primary liver tumor are rare. Here we present a case of isolated HCC that had metastasized to the pelvic bone without a primary focus. A 73-year-old man presented with severe back and right-leg pain. Radiological examinations, including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealed a huge mass on the pelvic bone (13x10 cm). He underwent an incisional biopsy, and the results of the subsequent histological examination were consistent with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. The tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), hepatocyte paraffin 1, and glypican-3, and negative for CD56, chromogranin A, and synaptophysin on immunohistochemical staining. Examination of the liver by CT, MRI, positron-emission tomography scan, and angiography produced no evidence of a primary tumor. Radiotherapy and transarterial chemoembolization were performed on the pelvic bone, followed by systemic chemotherapy. These combination treatments resulted in tumor regression with necrotic changes. However, multiple lung metastases developed 1 year after the treatment, and the patient was treated with additional systemic chemotherapy.
Aged ; Bone Neoplasms/*diagnosis/*pathology/radiotherapy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*pathology/radiography/*secondary ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Glypicans/metabolism ; Humans ; Keratin-1/metabolism ; Keratin-3/metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology/radiography/*secondary ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Paraffin/metabolism ; Pelvic Bones/*pathology/radiography ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been used widely to treat patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. However, this method can induce various adverse events caused by necrosis of the tumor itself or damage to nontumor tissues. In particular, neurologic side effects such as cerebral infarction and paraplegia, although rare, may cause severe sequelae and permanent disability. Detailed information regarding the treatment process and prognosis associated with this procedure is not yet available. We experienced a case of paraplegia that occurred after conducting TACE through the intercostal artery to treat hepatocellular carcinoma that had metastasized to the rib. In this case, TACE was attempted to relieve severe bone pain, which had persisted even after palliative radiotherapy. A sudden impairment of sensory and motor functions after TACE developed in the trunk below the level of the sternum and in both lower extremities. The patient subsequently received steroid pulse therapy along with supportive care and continuous rehabilitation. At the time of discharge the patient had recovered sufficiently to enable him to walk by himself, although some paresthesia and spasticity remained.
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms/radiography/secondary ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis/pathology/*therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Hepatitis B/complications/drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/secondary ; Spinal Cord Injuries/*etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken for the purpose of describing the CT features of intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors in patients who were treated with imatinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors, who were treated with imatinib between May 2001 and December 2003, were included in this study. The clinical findings and CT scans were retrospectively reviewed. The metastatic lesions were assessed according to the location, size (greatest diameter), attenuation, and the enhancing pattern before and after imatinib treatment. RESULTS: Prior to the treatment, the sizes and attenuation values of the metastatic lesions ranged from 5 to 20 cm and from 63 to 131 H, respectively. The metastatic lesions showed a heterogeneous enhancement pattern on the contrast-enhanced CT scans. After the treatment, the metastatic lesions became smaller in all 11 patients, and the corresponding attenuation value ranged from 15 to 51 H. The metastatic lesions became homogeneous and cystic in appearance on the follow-up CT scans, mimicking ascites. CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated with imatinib may appear as well-circumscribed cystic lesions on contrast-enhanced CT. These metastases are likely to become smaller and resemble ascites, but may persist indefinitely on the follow-up CT.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Contrast Media ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/*pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Iohexol/*analogs & derivatives/diagnostic use ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiography/secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/drug therapy/*radiography/secondary ; Piperazines/*therapeutic use ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinase/antagonists & inhibitors ; Pyrimidines/*therapeutic use ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the most effective therapies for unresectable hepatocelluar carcinoma or metastatic hypervascular tumors. Abscess occurring in the other organs beside the liver after TACE is a complication that often occurs, sometimes potentially fatal. We report a case of spinal epidural abscess occurred after liver abscess complicated by TACE in a patient with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors to the liver. A 67-year-old female underwent TACE first for the metastatic lesions to liver, with a history of pancreatoduodenectomy for the primary pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Four days after TACE, sudden high fever occurred, and liver abscess was found on abdominal CT. Two days later, back pain and radiating pain to the right leg occurred, and lumbar spine MRI showed spinal epidural abscess. After intravenous antibiotics for 8 weeks and partial laminectomy, the patient recovered and was discharged without complications.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/secondary/*therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Epidural Abscess/*etiology/microbiology/surgery ; Escherichia coli/isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Liver Abscess/*etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/secondary/*therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae/microbiology/radiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroendocrine Tumors/pathology/surgery ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed