Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Vascular Invasion and Cardiac Metastasis Causing Progressive Liver and Renal Failure: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and eighth-most common cancer. The most frequent sites of metastasis are the lungs, the bones, the lymphatics, and the brain. An isolated metastasis of a HCC to the right atrium and inferior vena cava (IVC) is extremely rare. Here we discuss a case of a 61-year-old female who presented with two weeks of generalized weakness and was found to have advanced stage HCC with metastasis to the IVC and right atrium of her heart. We recommend that echocardiography should be routinely performed for all patients with advanced HCC because if metastasis to the right atrium is not detected early enough, the clinical course will be complicated by many unexpected cardiovascular complications that can be fatal. Currently the prognosis for this disease is very poor so further investigation into surgical and medical treatments needs to occur.