A Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma that Originated from a Liver Abscess after Treatment

Abstract

An extremely rare case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that originated from a liver abscess after treatment is presented. A 76-year-old woman was diagnosed with gas-forming liver abscesses that occupied the anterior segment of the liver. She was discharged after treatment and followed-up in the outpatient department. The abscesses had diminished in size gradually and almost disappeared, but a 2-cm abscess remained in segment 8. More than four years later, HCC was found at the same site as the segment 8 liver abscess.

A right hepatectomy was performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was well-differentiated HCC. Although it is not easy to diagnose small HCC associated with a liver abscess, the possibility must be entertained that HCC mimics a liver abscess. Careful observation of the sequential changes of a liver abscess on diagnostic imaging is vital when following patients treated for a liver abscess.