Brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma treated with a cyber-knife

Abstract

A 70-year-old right-handed Japanese man who had undergone surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 2 years earlier was diagnosed with lung metastasis 3 months before consulting our hospital with a headache and visual field disturbance. Head computed tomography revealed a brain tumor with an intracerebral hemorrhage. Using 99mTc-PMT (pyridoxal-5-methyl-triptophan) scintigraphy, we determined that the brain tumor was metastasis from the HCC and utilized the cyber-knife for treatment. The prognosis of patients with brain metastasis from HCC has been reported to be poor. Use of the cyber-knife was non-invasive and proved to be effective for improving prognosis and quality of life. © 2008 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.