Hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by direct tumor invasion of stomach.

Abstract

A 65-year-old man with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent intra-hepato-arterial chemotherapy (IHAC) through an implantable port over a period of 10 months after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) had been performed three times. TAE was performed twice more, and radiotherapy (total dose, 30 Gy; given over a 3-week period) was given for progressive disease in the lateral segment of the liver. Three months after the radiotherapy had finished, the patient suddenly developed melena. Diagnostic imaging revealed gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage from HCC invading the stomach, and total gastrectomy and lateral segmentectomy of the liver were performed because the bleeding could not be controlled. The resected specimen disclosed a centrally necrotic tumor that had invaded the lesser gastric curvature and perforated into the lumen. Pathology examination revealed that the HCC had expansively invaded the gastric mucosa, resulting in exposure in the lumen. The possible mechanisms of direct GI invasion by HCC are briefly discussed, with a review of the literature. GI bleeding secondary to involvement by HCC is rare. The enteric radiation injury seems to have been largely responsible for the GI bleeding in this patient.