Extensive infiltration of the liver by metastatic carcinoma can eventually result in acute liver failure if the person survives long enough.
Frequency: very rare
Clinical features:
(1) The tumor or the hepatic involvement may be occult.
(2) Possible tumor types are breast (? lobular) and GI tract adenocarcinoma.
(3) The patient develops jaundice with elevated serum total bilirubin, ascites and abnormal liver function tests.
(4) The tumor burden is high and prognosis poor.
A few tumors may diffusely infiltrate the hepatic sinusoids without mass lesion formation. This pattern may not be apparent on most imaging studies but should be positive on PET scan.
Other causes of acute hepatic failure should be excluded.
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
