H. Toyoda et al., MULTIPLE SYSTEMIC LYMPH-NODE METASTASES FROM A SMALL HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA, Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 11(10), 1996, pp. 959-962
Extrahepatic lymph node metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
are usually observed in patients with advanced and poorly differentia
ted HCC. We encountered a patient with multiple, systemic lymph node m
etastases from a small HCC (18 mm in diameter), which was nodular and
had a capsule at the time of resection (a partial hepatectomy of the p
ostero-inferior subsegment of the right lobe of the liver). Widespread
lymphadenopathy resembling malignant lymphoma developed 2 months afte
r surgery. A biopsy specimen from a supraclavicular lymph node reveale
d metastatic HCC. The patient died 2.5 months after the detection of t
he lymphadenopathy. Lymph node metastases can occur in small HCC less
than 2 cm in diameter and may adversely affect the long-term prognosis
of patients with these curatively resectable small HCC.