A Case of Multiple Large Benign Hepatic Cysts with Markedly Elevated CEA and TPA in their Contents

Akinao Fukutani, Fujio Tsunoda, Akira Ando*, Makoto Hirata*, Seiji Kageyama*, Toshio Ozawa*, Hirotaka Sako¹⁾, Koji Okino¹⁾, Yoshihiro Nakane¹⁾, Masashi Kodama¹⁾

Department of Surgery and Internal Medicine*, Ozawa General Hospital
The First Department of Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science¹⁾

Two large cysts in a 69-year-old woman with multiple hepatic cysts were successfully treated by absolute ethanol injection after continuous drainage. Cystic fluid tumor marker levels, CEA (536.1 ng/ml) and TPA (4615 IU/ml), were extremely high. CEA and CA19-9 were localized immunohistochemically in the epithelium of liver cysts. It is speculated that the secretion of tumor markers is increased by liver cyst inflammation. We conclude that high levels of tumor markers do not necessarily indicate malignant change.

Key words
multiple non-parasitic cysts of the liver, absolute ethanol injection after continuous drainage, tumor marker

Reprint requests
Akinao Fukutani The First Department of Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science
Seta Tsukinowacho, Otsu, 520-21 JAPAN

Accepted
October 9, 1991

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