Open Access Peer-reviewed Case Report

Hepatocellular carcinoma associated to Behçet's disease

Main Article Content

Salem Bouomrani corresponding author
Mesfar Rim
Amri DhiaEddine
Nesrine Belgacem
Amin Hammami
Warda Mahdhaoui
Ali Naffati

Abstract

The occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on a healthy liver is exceptional and represents a real diagnosis challenge for the clinician. Recently a particularly increased risk of cancer during Behc¸et’s disease (BD) was reported by several studies. Only a few sporadic cases of liver cancer associated with this vascultis have been reported. We report an original observation of non-fibrolamellar HCC occurring on healthy liver in a Tunisian patient followed for BD. A 43-year-old man, followed since the age of 25 for BD with isolated cutaneous and mucosal involvement, and treated by colchicine, was admitted for exploration of a pain of the right hypochondrium evolving since a few months associated with an important slimming, anorexia, and evening fever. The clinical examination noted a firm and painful hepatomegaly. Radiological exploration (ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) showed a bulky hepatic tumor with highly developed arterial blood supply. Ultrasound-guided biopsy concluded at HCC without signs of fibrolamellar type or cirrhosis. Biological tests were without abnormalities and specific investigations eliminated underlying chronic hepatopathy (chronic viral hepatitis B or C, hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease or autoimmune hepatitis). The patient was treated symptomatically given the advanced stage of cancer. He quickly died after a month because of a multi-organ failure. HCC on healthy liver is exceptional and BD was suggested as a possible contributing factor. Thus, regular radiological monitoring seems to be recommended in any patient followed for BD, especially those with hepatic veins thrombosis.

Keywords
liver cancer, Behçet's disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, vasculitis, non-cirrhotic liver

Article Details

How to Cite
Bouomrani, S., Rim, M., DhiaEddine, A., Belgacem, N., Hammami, A., Mahdhaoui, W., & Naffati, A. (2019). Hepatocellular carcinoma associated to Behçet’s disease. Current Cancer Reports, 1(1), 20-23. https://doi.org/10.25082/CCR.2019.01.004

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