[Porphyria cutanea tarda, chronic liver disease caused by the C virus and hepatocarcinoma. Clinical case].

We report a non alcoholic, Chinese, 65 years old male that presented in august, 1992 with painful hepatomegaly of rapid installation and malaise. Ultrasound examination revealed multiple substitution images, diagnosed histologically as hepatoma. Serum alpha fetoprotein was 6600 U/ml. Malaise increased and the patient died two months later. This patient had a porphyria cutanea tarda and a chronic hepatitis diagnosed 6 years before. He also had positive titers for hepatitis C virus antibodies. In patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, hepatoma frequency is 400 fold higher and hepatitis C virus infection is highly prevalent. Thus, the surveillance of these patients with periodic alpha feto protein determinations and abdominal ultrasound examinations is recommended, specially in those infected by hepatitis C virus.