DOUBLE CANCER IN DIFFERENT HEPATIC LOBES - HEPATOCELLULAR AND CHOLANGIOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Background/Aim: Hepatic tumors with elements of both hepatocellular an d cholangiocellular carcinoma are occasionally encountered; however, t he independent and simultaneous occurrence of different epithelial mal ignant tumors in different lobes is rare. This is a case report of res ected double cancer in different lobes of the liver. Materials and Met hod: A 73 year old Japanese man, with hepatic mass-and a history of pe ritonitis and hepatitis, underwent laparotomy and hepatic resection of the posterior inferior and the left lateral segment, and cholecystect omy for cholecystlithiasis with left-sided gallbladder at our hospital in 1991. Results: The tumor, located in the posterior inferior segmen t, a yellow-white, round, highly circumscribed mass with a thick capsu le, was about 9.0 by 8.0 cm in size. The other tumor located in the le ft lateral segment, grayish-white on the cut section, was approximatel y 5.0 by 4.0 cm. Conclusion: In our case, it is unlikely the tumor in the right lobe metastasized to the left lobe and transformed into a di fferent type. The two tumors showed clearly different microscopic feat ures. Improved imaging will increase the frequency and number of doubl e cancer diagnosis. This additional data may shed light on the pathoge nesis and etiology of double cancer.