hepatic metastasis of omental hemangiopericytoma:case report

Abstract

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare tumor that arises from the pericytes of Zimmermann. HPCs have a characteristic clinical feature the rate of recurrence which is as high as 52% of cases mostly in the lungs, liver, and regional lymph nodes and which necessitates long-term follow-up after resection of the primary tumor. Complete surgical removal is the treatment of choice for primary tumor local recurrence and solitary metastasis. The liver is an unusual location to the primary HPC but has been described as one of the most common site of distal metastases besides the bones and lungs. We present a case of a 55 year old man who was known case of an isolated omental HPC treated with excision of the omental mass 6 year back which recurred solely to the liver. The tumor occupied almost the entire left lobe with 9 x 7x 8 cm of diameter. The patient was submitted to uneventful uncomplicated left hepatectomy. In cases of inoperable recurrence or metastasis palliative chemotherapy is indicated though there is currently no approved chemotherapy regimen. Even though HPC is a well known neoplasm its incidence is very low. This article describes a case and addresses questions regarding diagnosis prognosis and treatment of this rare event.