Diffused hepatic angiosarcoma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome-case report and literature review

BMC Gastroenterol. 2020 Mar 30;20(1):80. doi: 10.1186/s12876-020-01216-z.

Abstract

Background: Hepatic angiosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor featured by highly aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. There are few reports about diffused hepatic angiosarcoma with Kasabach-Merritt syndrome till now.

Case presentation: A male patient with the chief complain of hepatic space-occupying lesion accompanied by disturbance of consciousness and jaundice. Hyperbilirubinemia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, prolonged prothrombin time, hypofibrinogenemia, decreased prothrombin activity, and increased fibrinogen degradation product and D-dimer were confirmed by blood analysis; multiple focal hypodense lesions in liver was detected by abdominal computed tomography. Liver failure and Kasabach-Merritt syndrome induced by hepatic hemangioma was diagnosed before operation and liver transplantation was performed. Hepatic angiosarcoma was finally proven by postoperative pathology. This patient died of tumor metastasis 2 months after operation.

Conclusions: Hepatic angiosarcoma which can generate Kasabach-Merritt syndrome and even liver failure has an extremely poor prognosis; liver transplantation option should not be considered in hepatic angiosarcoma regardless of the reason.

Keywords: Hepatic angiosarcoma; Kasabach-Merritt syndrome; Liver failure; Prognosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Fatal Outcome
  • Hemangiosarcoma / complications*
  • Hemangiosarcoma / pathology
  • Hemangiosarcoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome / complications*
  • Liver Failure / etiology
  • Liver Failure / surgery
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Male
  • Middle Aged