A 38-year-old woman developed focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver after
she had received a 4-month treatment with intraconazole 200 mg/d for a fung
al infection of her fingernails. Because the patient underwent yearly liver
ultrasound examinations because of the removal of a breast carcinoma, when
the tumor was discovered incidentally, it was clear that it had developed
within the past year after she had begun receiving intraconazole. Although
various chemical agents and drugs have been considered as possible etiologi
c factors in the development of focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver. cas
es occurring after intraconazole therapy have not been reported before. Apa
rt from the theoretical considerations with regard to the pathogenesis of n
odular hyperplasia of the liver, this case could gain practical importance,
as it shows a new adverse effect of a drug that has been used in more than
34 million patients over the past 10 years. Furthermore, this case should
draw attention to the possibility of drug-induced benign hepatic tumors, as
they may mimic malignant and metastatic disorders, which might be especial
ly alarming in patients undergoing routine examinations after removal of ma
lignant tumors, such as our patient.