Carcinosarcoma of the liver: a case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

No more than 11 cases of carcinosarcoma of the liver have been reported in the past 40 years that fulfill the definition of hepatocellular carcinoma combined with differentiated sarcomatous elements. Most cases consist of hepatocellular carcinoma with 1 to 2 heterologous elements. We report a case of a 51-year-old woman with liver carcinosarcoma consisting of 3 carcinomatous components and 4 sarcomatous components. Hepatocellular carcinoma, fibrolamellar type, was accompanied by neuroendocrine carcinoma (neuron-specific enolase and synaptophysin positive) and adenocarcinoma (cytokeratin 7 and 20 positive). The sarcomatous elements consisted of poorly differentiated spindle cell neoplasm (vimentin positive), leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle actin positive), rhabdomyosarcoma (desmin positive), and osteosarcoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of liver carcinosarcoma with this many differentiated heterologous features. There are differing views on the pathogenesis of this tumor. Findings in this case support the view that metaplasia of carcinomatous cells gives rise to the sarcomatous elements.

• Authors: Rosemary She, Juliana Szakacs
• Journal: Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (Arch Pathol Lab Med) Vol. 129 Issue 6 Pg. 790-3 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 1543-2165 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 15913431 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Benzamides
• Piperazines
• Pyrimidines
• Imatinib Mesylate

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Benzamides
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (diagnosis)
• Carcinosarcoma (drug therapy, metabolism, secondary)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Fatal Outcome
• Female
• Hepatorenal Syndrome
• Humans
• Imatinib Mesylate
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Middle Aged
• Piperazines (therapeutic use)
• Pyrimidines (therapeutic use)
• Sarcoma (diagnosis)