Tang Hong-Tao, Lin Wei, Zhang Wei-Qiao, Qian Jun-Lin, Li Kai, He Kun
Graduate School of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524002, Guangdong Province, China.
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan People's Hospital, Zhongshan 528400, Guangdong Province, China.
World J Clin Cases. 2023 Jul 6;11(19):4640-4647. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i19.4640.
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC), a rare and unique variant of liver cancer, can be divided into lymphoepithelioma-like hepatocellular carcinoma and lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Dense lymphocytic infiltration is its characteristic pathological feature. In recent years, the number of reported cases of this type has increased each year. Studies have shown that lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma occurs more frequently in Asian women; LELC is associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection of liver cells of epithelial origin. Existing research shows that the prognosis of this tumour is good.
A 38-year-old female patient was hospitalized after 3 mo of abdominal pain and nausea. She had been infected with hepatitis B virus more than 10 years prior. The patient was hospitalized on January 21, 2022. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 36 mm × 28 mm mass under the envelope of the left inner lobe of the liver. No metastasis of lymph nodes or other organs was observed. After left hemihepatectomy, biopsy and immunohistochemistry yielded a final diagnosis of lymphoepithelial hepatocellular carcinoma. After 12 mo of outpatient follow-up and chemotherapy, no tumour metastases were found on the latest computed tomography examination.
Herein, the patient was treated surgically and then followed up as an outpatient for 12 mo. This case will further expand our overall knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of this rare tumor.
淋巴上皮瘤样癌（LELC）是一种罕见且独特的肝癌变体，可分为淋巴上皮瘤样肝细胞癌和淋巴上皮瘤样肝内胆管癌。密集的淋巴细胞浸润是其特征性病理表现。近年来，该类型报告病例数逐年增加。研究表明，淋巴上皮瘤样胆管癌在亚洲女性中更为常见；LELC与上皮来源的肝细胞的爱泼斯坦-巴尔病毒感染有关。现有研究表明，该肿瘤预后良好。
一名38岁女性患者在出现腹痛和恶心3个月后住院。她10多年前感染过乙型肝炎病毒。该患者于2022年1月21日住院。磁共振成像显示肝左内叶包膜下有一个36mm×28mm的肿块。未观察到淋巴结或其他器官转移。左半肝切除术后，活检及免疫组化最终诊断为淋巴上皮样肝细胞癌。门诊随访及化疗12个月后，最新的计算机断层扫描检查未发现肿瘤转移。
在此，该患者接受了手术治疗，随后门诊随访12个月。本病例将进一步扩展我们对这种罕见肿瘤诊断和治疗的整体认识。
