Hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis to the tip of the coracoid process.

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest and the most frequent primary malignant tumour of the liver. Chronic hepatitis B is the most common cause of HCC. Metastatic HCC has an aggressive course and a poor outcome. Common sites of hematogenous metastasis are lungs, bones & adrenal glands. Involvement of vertebra, pelvis, rib & skull is reported but coracoid process of scapula is an extremely rare site of metastasis. Thus we are going to present an unusual site of metastasis of HCC to the tip of the coracoid process of left scapula which was presented as a nodular swelling over the lateral aspect of left shoulder. On examination viral marker revealed HBsAg positive & negative negative hepatitis C virus (HCV). Ultrasonography of abdomen revealed large, well defined, heterogenous mass measuring 12×7.5 cm in the left lobe of liver. Chest radiograph showed a small radio opaque shadow on the tip of the coracoid process of left scapula. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was done from the nodule & cytological examination showed malignant hepatocytes & traversing endothelial cells resembling hepatocellular carcinoma.