Successfully treated metachronous liver metastasis of alpha-fetoprotein-producing early gastric cancer: case report

Hepatogastroenterology. 2004 May-Jun;51(57):919-20.

Abstract

We treated a 57-year-old male with liver metastasis derived from an alpha-fetoprotein-producing early gastric cancer. Eleven months after distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection, the patient underwent hepatectomy of segment 4 to resect a liver tumor 3 cm in diameter found by abdominal computed tomography. Immunohistochemical examination of the stomach and liver specimens, using anti-alpha-fetoprotein antibody, showed partial alpha-fetoprotein expression in both the primary gastric and metastatic hepatic tumors. The patient's serum alpha-fetoprotein level had been elevated at 302 ng/mL before hepatectomy, but the level remained below 5 ng/mL postoperatively. The patient remains alive without tumor recurrence 3 years after hepatectomy. There have been few previous reports of good outcome after curative resection of a metachronous liver metastasis derived from alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer. The assessment of serum alpha-fetoprotein level may be useful for detecting and monitoring liver metastasis in gastric cancer, especially for alpha-fetoprotein-producing tumors.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary
  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Remission Induction
  • Stomach Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology*
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / biosynthesis

Substances

  • alpha-Fetoproteins