Ewha Med J.  2014 Dec;37(Suppl):S33-S36. 10.12771/emj.2014.37.S.S33.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Arising from Non-Cirrhotic Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Korea. ktydoc@hanyang.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Surgery, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pathology, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Guri, Korea.

Abstract

The major risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma include hepatitis B or C virus infection and alcohol consumption in Korea which lead to liver cirrhosis development and progression. However, prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease related hepatocellular carcinoma is rising worldwide and hepatocellular carcinoma cases in patients with non-cirrhotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are increasing. A hypoechoic nodule was incidentally detected in a 52-year-old woman, with no evidence of liver cirrhosis or specific hepatocellular carcinoma findings on radiological examination. Non-cirrhotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed based on clinical, laboratory, and histopathological findings of liver biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the first such case report in Korea.

Keyword

Carcinoma, hepatocellular; Fatty liver; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Biopsy
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular*
Fatty Liver*
Female
Hepatitis B
Humans
Korea
Liver
Liver Cirrhosis
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Risk Factors

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Abdominal ultrasonography. It shows a 1.6 cm size well-defined hypoechoic nodule in liver segment III (arrow).

  • Fig. 2 Liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). (A) Liver MRI (arterial phase) shows a well-enhanced and homogenous nodule in the liver segment III (arrow). (B) Liver MRI (hepatobiliary phase) shows a liver nodule with low signal intensity (arrow).

  • Fig. 3 Histologic findings. (A) Histologic findings of liver reveals diffuse macro- and microvesicular fatty change with moderate ballooning degeneration and moderate lobular activity (H&E, ×100). (B) Histologic findings of liver reveals diffuse periportal fibirosis and occasional bridging fibrosis (Masson's trichrome stain, ×100). (C) Immunohistochemical staining shows negativity at hepatitis B core antigen (×200).


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