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. 2014;5(12):1098-101.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2014.11.028. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Primary intrahepatic malignant epithelioid mesothelioma

Affiliations

Primary intrahepatic malignant epithelioid mesothelioma

Iraklis Perysinakis et al. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2014.

Abstract

Introduction: Primary malignant hepatic mesotheliomas are extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with primary intrahepatic malignant mesothelioma who was treated in our department.

Presentation of case: A 66-year old male patient was admitted to our department for the evaluation of anemia. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a large space occupying lesion in the right liver lobe.

Discussion: The tumor was subsequently resected and a diagnosis of primary intrahepatic malignant mesothelioma was made after pathologic examination. The patient did not receive adjuvant therapy and is currently alive and free of disease, 36 months after the resection.

Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the eighth adult case of primary intrahepatic malignant mesothelioma reported in the literature. These tumors are rarely diagnosed preoperatively. Absence of previous asbestos exposure does not exclude malignant mesothelioma from the differential diagnosis. Proper surgical treatment may offer prolonged survival to the patient, without adjuvant therapy.

Keywords: Epithelioid type; Intrahepatic; Malignant mesothelioma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Computed tomography showing an ill defined, intraparenchymal tumor obliterating most of the right lobe of the liver (transverse section).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Computed tomography showing an ill defined, intraparenchymal tumor obliterating most of the right lobe of the liver (coronal section).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Macroscopic view of the surgical specimen, showing a large intraparenchymal tumor of the right liver lobe.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Irregular cystic and tubular spaces lined by a single layer of mesothelial cells or compact pattern of anastomosing cords of neoplastic cells.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Antibody against calretinin is the most specific and reproducible positive marker of epithelioid mesothelioma. Cells labeled by the antibody display both a cytoplasmic and a nuclear staining pattern.

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