A Resected Case of Fibrolamellar Carcinoma in a 24 Years Old Woman: A Case Report and Review of Japanese Cases

Hiroshi Yokomizo, Kenji Yamaguchi, Michio Hifumi¹⁾, Kouji Hayashi, Toshihiko Hirata, Hirotsugu Terakura, Takaaki Yamane, Tetsu Kawaguchi¹⁾, Seiji Fukuda²⁾ and Hidenobu Matsukane

Department of Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital
Department of Gastroenterology, Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital¹⁾
Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital²⁾

We report a case of hepatic fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC), a case that is rare in Japan. A 24-years-old woman was referred for further examination of a 6-cm tumor in the right lobe of the liver found in mass screening ultrasonography. At the arterial phase of contrast-enhanced CT, the tumor was well enhanced except for a central scar. Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) enhanced MRI showed a high-intensity tumor suggesting FLC. Right hepatic lobectomy was done. Histological findings of the surgical specimen showing eosinophilic large neoplastic cells surrounded by fibrous stroma arranged lamellarly confirmed the diagnosis of FLC. FLC is a distinct clinicopathological variant of Hepatocellular carcinoma, which occurs in non-cirrhotic liver of young patients. Hepatectomy for surgical treatment of FLC should be accompanied with regional lymphadenectomy, because FLC frequently associates with lymph node metastasis. We also review 52 FLC cases reported in Japan.

Key words
fibrolamellar carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma

Reprint requests
Hiroshi Yokomizo Department of Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital
2-1-1 Nagamine Minami, Kumamoto 862-8520 JAPAN

Accepted
April 28, 2004

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