Hepatic angiosarcoma presenting as an acute intraabdominal hemorrhage treated with transarterial chemoembolization

Abstract

Primary malignant neoplasms of the liver are some of the most uncommon malignancies in many parts of the world. They include hepatocellular carcinoma and stromal tumors such as hepatic angiosarcoma. It is a lethal tumor with life expectancyof less than six months. Once discovered, it is often too late for surgical intervention. Like other vascular tumors of the liver and spleen, intraperitoneal hemorrhage is a well-documented finding of angiosarcoma which can be lethal if not diagnosed andtreated immediately. As in our case, intraperitoneal hemorrhage from primary tumor rupture was the only clinical presentation of this neoplasm. Approximately 15% of patients present with acute hemoperitoneum from either tumor rupture or peritonealmetastasis. Although several therapeutic options are available, we describe apalliative therapy for hepatic angiosarcoma utilizing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) techniques incorporating the newer embolization agent Embospheres to locally target and treat this aggressive tumor. Copyright © 2007 G. W. Stambo and M. J. Guiney.