Repeated surgery for hemorrhagic brain metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma: palliation or effective part of a multimodal treatment? A case-based approach

Abstract

Brain metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCCBM) are encountered very rarely in clinical practice, especially in western countries. Only a minority of patients undergoes resective surgery, as clinical picture is usually complex and presentation is often catastrophic with intra-cerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Neurosurgical intervention can be not only life-saving but may also alleviate significantly the burden of symptoms. We present the case of a patient with six metachronous hemorrhagic HCCBM in which emergent surgery extended survival by 9 months, of which seven spent in near-normal life quality, stressing the role of neurosurgery in the evaluation of HCCBM patients.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; brain metastasis; hemorrhage; neurosurgery; patient selection; survival.