Cutaneous metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma: a rare presentation and review of the literature

Abstract

A 53-year-old male Nigerian with a rare cutaneous metastasis and a late manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma is presented. The skin nodules were umbilicated, painless, firm and spread on the chest, abdomen and back. Ultrasonography showed a huge mass in the right lobe of the liver. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the liver revealed hepatocellular carcinoma and the skin nodule, metastatic carcinoma of hepatic origin. The immunological marker HBsAg was positive while Anti-HCV Ab and alpha-fetoprotein were negative. Patient died and consent for post-mortem examination was refused.