Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma is a rare tumor, associated with an extremely poor prognosis. In the present report, a 72‑year‑old female presented to Huashan Hospital (Shanghai, China) with upper abdominal discomfort and, following endoscopy, an ulcerated lesion was observed in the stomach. A computed tomography scan revealed a mass in the antrum of the stomach and the α‑fetoprotein level was normal. Sections of the mass exhibited malignant cells arranged in a solid to trabecular pattern; the cells were polygonal shaped with well‑defined cytoplasmic borders. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed and the cells were positive for Hep1, CK, CK8, CK18 and P53. The histological features together with the immunohistochemical findings were diagnostic of a hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Immunohistochemical studies may aid in the identification of the characteristic features and prevent the misdiagnosis of this tumor.