Primary neuroendocrine tumor in the liver treated by hepatectomy: report of a case

Abstract

A 49-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital under suspicion of an enlarging hepatic tumor, which had been previously diagnosed to be a cavernous hemangioma. Computed tomography revealed three enhanced tumors, one measuring 15 cm in diameter within the right lobe of the liver and two intrahepatic metastases in Couinaud's hepatic segments 3 and 5. We diagnosed the patient to have primary liver cancer, and suspected a combined liver tumor preoperatively. We performed a right trisectionectomy with radiofrequency ablation of the intrahepatic metastasis in S3. According to the immunohistochemical findings of the resected specimen and the findings of postoperative imaging studies, the tumor was diagnosed to be a primary neuroendocrine tumor in the liver. The patient is presently alive without recurrence at 33 months after the operation.