Hepatocellular carcinoma related to attempt of fertilization: A case report

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the liver, with approximately 10%-20% of the cases occurring in the non-cirrhotic liver. Hepatic adenomas (HA) are benign liver neoplasms, which arise predominantly in the setting of excess hormone exposure. The vast majority of HA have been reported in reproductive age women with a history of oral contraceptive pill therapy. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure in which the ovaries are stimulated by acombination of fertility medications and then one or more oocytes are aspirated from ovarian follicles. We report the case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with HCC after two attempts of fertilization. The patient had no virus B or C previous history, non-cirrhotic liver and was submitted to two human assisted reproductive procedures. No previous screening images had been performed before the fertilization attempt. Conclusions: The high hormone exposure in the setting of fertilization might have played a central role in the development of HCC. Furthermore, patients that are planning to perform fertilization are strongly advised to screen for HA in order to avoid malignant transformation to HCC.