GASTROINTESTINAL HEPATOID ADENOCARCINOMA - VENOUS PERMEATION AND MIMICRY OF HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA, A REPORT OF 4 CASES

Aims: Four cases of hepatoid adenocarcinoma, three in the stomach, and one in the sigmoid colon, are presented to emphasize venous permeatio n and mimicry of hepatocellular carcinoma by metastatic liner nodules, Methods nod results: Tumour cells in all cases extensively invaded ve ins, and intravenous tumour thrombi in two cases were grossly observed as anastomosing, worm-like cords up to 10 mm in diameter in the lesse r omentum and mesentery in continuity with the primary mucosal lesions , The cytological features and trabecular architecture of the metastat ic liver nodules in these subjects mimicked primary hepatocellular car cinoma, In a third case the tumour contained grossly visible bile in a metastatic lung nodule, but there was no Evidence of bile production in the primary gastric or metastatic liver lesions. In the fourth case , detailed histopathological study revealed a gastric origin of the he patoid adenocarcinoma, rather than primary hepatocellular carcinoma me tastatic to the stomach, the initial diagnosis. Conclusions: These cas es are reported here to draw attention to this rare variant of gastroi ntestinal adenocarcinoma, its mimicry of hepatocellular carcinoma when metastatic to the liver and other sites, and its propensity fbr venou s permeation.