Advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in hepatitis C virus-related decompensated cirrhosis: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

A 75-year-old man with no known previous liver disease was admitted to our institution because of right pleural effusion, backache, and pain in the upper right quadrant. Physical and laboratory work-up revealed decompensated liver cirrhosis. Spiral computed tomography (CT) showed a 6-cm tumour in the right liver lobe. Serum levels of aminotransferases, prothrombin time, total bilirubin, alphafetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen were within normal limits. However, the patient had elevated cholestatic enzymes, diffuse hypergammaglobulinaemia, a six-fold increase in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), cryoglobulinaemia, and reactivity against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Although hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cancer in a cirrhotic patient with chronic viral hepatitis, the investigation revealed the presence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This is a less frequently occurring primary liver tumour, the aetiology and pathogenesis of which remain unclear in the majority of cases. The coexistence of HCV liver disease and ICC might be an incidental finding, but recently some reports have shown a relatively high incidence of this tumour in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis. The current aspects regarding ICC prevalence in HCV patients, the possible aetiopathogenetic links between this tumour and HCV, and the importance for ICC detection and characterization using the enhancement patterns with quadruple-phase spiral CT scan are also discussed.