Metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma to spleen and small intestine

Abstract

Metastasis of cancer to the spleen or small intestine is rare. We encountered a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with splenic and jejunal metastases. A 60-year-old man was referred to us in February 2005 with a diagnosis of splenic tumor. Since 2001, he had been treated repeatedly for HCC with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus infection; partial liver resection, transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization, and radiofrequency ablation therapy had been performed. In October 2004, he had undergone partial pulmonary resection due to metastasis of HCC to the lung. The splenic tumor, which was detected by computed tomography, seemed to be a metastasis of HCC. Splenectomy was performed for the splenic tumor, and a jejunal tumor was discovered and also resected. Both the splenic and jejunal tumors were diagnosed pathologically as metastases from the HCC. After repeated treatment for HCC, metastases can appear in various organs; thus, careful observation is necessary during follow-up.