[Adrenal metastases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Therapeutic options]

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic modalities, particularly surgical treatment, for adrenal metastasis of hepatocellular carcinomas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This series included 13 patients (mean age: 64 years) with hepatocellular carcinoma on cirrhotic liver (n = 8) or healthy liver (n = 5). The adrenal metastasis was synchronous in four cases, metachronous in nine, unilateral in ten cases, and bilateral in three. Resection of the adrenal metastasis was performed in seven patients, combined with the resection of the hepatic carcinoma in three cases or secondarily performed in four. The metastasis was not resected in six patients because of poor liver function or poor patient conditions; two patients were treated with percutaneous ethanol injection, one with radiation and three received only a symptomatic treatment.

RESULTS

After adrenalectomy combined with liver resection, two patients died in the postoperative course in relation with pulmonary embolism (n = 1) or acute pancreatitis (n = 1). The mean survival in the five other patients was 38 months after the adrenalectomy and 58.6 months after the liver resection. After percutaneous ethanol injection, one patient survived 47 months and the other one 7 months only. After radiation, the patient survived 18 months. After symptomatic treatment, the mean survival was only 7.3 months.

CONCLUSION

The present data suggest that adrenal metastasis, either isolated or associated with a well-controlled intrahepatic recurrence, could be treated surgically when the resection is technically feasible. This aggressive management seems the only chance to offer a long-term survival to selected patients.