Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level

Male breast cancer is rare, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with liver cirrhosis in 70%–80% of cases; serum alpha-fetoprotein level is normal in less than half of HCC cases. We describe an 80-year-old male patient who experienced nausea and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Li-Chun Kao, Kwok-Wan Yeung, Chie-Yen Chang, Tsung-Wei Kang, Chen-Ling Tang, Jyh-Ching Chen, Tit-Cheng Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-06-01
Series:Journal of Cancer Research and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2311300616301604
_version_ 1818275535743090688
author Li-Chun Kao
Kwok-Wan Yeung
Chie-Yen Chang
Tsung-Wei Kang
Chen-Ling Tang
Jyh-Ching Chen
Tit-Cheng Ho
author_facet Li-Chun Kao
Kwok-Wan Yeung
Chie-Yen Chang
Tsung-Wei Kang
Chen-Ling Tang
Jyh-Ching Chen
Tit-Cheng Ho
author_sort Li-Chun Kao
collection DOAJ
description Male breast cancer is rare, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with liver cirrhosis in 70%–80% of cases; serum alpha-fetoprotein level is normal in less than half of HCC cases. We describe an 80-year-old male patient who experienced nausea and abdominal pain after food intake. On physical examination, a large, protruding, lobulated, and hard mass with skin discoloration was observed in the area of left breast. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level was normal. Ultrasonography (US) of the abdomen showed findings compatible with cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis, liver cirrhosis, and a mixed-echoic tumor in segment 6 (S6) of the liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) with arterial and portal venous phases demonstrated the typical findings of cholelithiasis and acute cholecystitis; it also revealed a nodular liver surface, and a hypervascular liver tumor with an early washout pattern. Therefore, liver cirrhosis and HCC in S6 of the liver were suspected. A huge, irregular, lobulated mass with interior septation, solid and fluid components, and an enhanced solid component was also found in the subareolar region of the left breast. US-guided biopsy of the liver tumor was performed and a diagnosis of HCC was established. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and an excision of the left breast mass were performed. The breast mass was pathologically confirmed to be infiltrating ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified and with predominantly cystic degeneration. The patient received chemotherapy with tamoxifen for the breast cancer, and transarterial chemoembolization for the HCC. Concomitant breast cancer and HCC in a male patient were rarely reported in the literature. Herein, we have discussed the possible relationship of these two disease entities.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T22:31:18Z
format Article
id doaj.art-174567475631499e9512f4f1d6d9aa16
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2311-3006
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T22:31:18Z
publishDate 2017-06-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Cancer Research and Practice
spelling doaj.art-174567475631499e9512f4f1d6d9aa162022-12-22T00:09:35ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Cancer Research and Practice2311-30062017-06-0142848810.1016/j.jcrpr.2016.11.005Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein levelLi-Chun Kao0Kwok-Wan Yeung1Chie-Yen Chang2Tsung-Wei Kang3Chen-Ling Tang4Jyh-Ching Chen5Tit-Cheng Ho6Division of General Surgery, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDepartment of Radiology, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDepartment of Pathology, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDivision of General Surgery, Fangliao General Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDivision of General Surgery, Fangliao General Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDepartment of Radiology, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanDepartment of Radiology, Fooyin University Hospital, Pingtung, TaiwanMale breast cancer is rare, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with liver cirrhosis in 70%–80% of cases; serum alpha-fetoprotein level is normal in less than half of HCC cases. We describe an 80-year-old male patient who experienced nausea and abdominal pain after food intake. On physical examination, a large, protruding, lobulated, and hard mass with skin discoloration was observed in the area of left breast. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level was normal. Ultrasonography (US) of the abdomen showed findings compatible with cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis, liver cirrhosis, and a mixed-echoic tumor in segment 6 (S6) of the liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) with arterial and portal venous phases demonstrated the typical findings of cholelithiasis and acute cholecystitis; it also revealed a nodular liver surface, and a hypervascular liver tumor with an early washout pattern. Therefore, liver cirrhosis and HCC in S6 of the liver were suspected. A huge, irregular, lobulated mass with interior septation, solid and fluid components, and an enhanced solid component was also found in the subareolar region of the left breast. US-guided biopsy of the liver tumor was performed and a diagnosis of HCC was established. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and an excision of the left breast mass were performed. The breast mass was pathologically confirmed to be infiltrating ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified and with predominantly cystic degeneration. The patient received chemotherapy with tamoxifen for the breast cancer, and transarterial chemoembolization for the HCC. Concomitant breast cancer and HCC in a male patient were rarely reported in the literature. Herein, we have discussed the possible relationship of these two disease entities.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2311300616301604Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinomaMaleAlcoholic liver cirrhosisNormal alpha fetoprotein
spellingShingle Li-Chun Kao
Kwok-Wan Yeung
Chie-Yen Chang
Tsung-Wei Kang
Chen-Ling Tang
Jyh-Ching Chen
Tit-Cheng Ho
Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
Journal of Cancer Research and Practice
Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma
Male
Alcoholic liver cirrhosis
Normal alpha fetoprotein
title Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
title_full Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
title_fullStr Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
title_full_unstemmed Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
title_short Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha-fetoprotein level
title_sort simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma in a male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and a normal serum alpha fetoprotein level
topic Simultaneous breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma
Male
Alcoholic liver cirrhosis
Normal alpha fetoprotein
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2311300616301604
work_keys_str_mv AT lichunkao simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT kwokwanyeung simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT chieyenchang simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT tsungweikang simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT chenlingtang simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT jyhchingchen simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel
AT titchengho simultaneousbreastcancerandhepatocellularcarcinomainamalepatientwithalcoholiclivercirrhosisandanormalserumalphafetoproteinlevel