[A case of primary liver carcinoma of intermediate (hepatocyte-cholangiocyte) phenotype: comparison of hemodynamics and histopathology]

A 58-year-old man was followed up for HBV-associated chronic hepatitis. A low echoic hepatic nodule 1.6cm in diameter developed in segment 8 of the liver. The tumor was hypervascular and showed enhancement on CV during hepatic arteriography (CTHA) and a defect on CT during arterial portography (CTAP). Strong enhancement, which lasted for 30 seconds, was observed at the margin of the tumor on single-level dynamic CTHA. The resected tumor was whitish, had no capsule, and consisted mainly of intermediate immature cells together with HCC-like and CCC-like tumor cells. These findings led to the diagnosis of primary liver carcinoma of intermediate (hepatocyte-cholangiocyte) phenotype. Cytokeratin (CK) 7, CK8, CK19, EMA and vimentin were positive and HP-1 and c-kit tests were negative on immunohistochemical staining. Staining with CD34+alphaSMA showed more muscular arterial vessels and sinusoid-like vessels in the peripheral zone of the tumor than in the central zone. Six months after the resection of the tumor, swollen abdominal lymph nodes were observed on US and CT, which aspiration needle biopsy showed to be metastasis of a hepatic tumor.