A Case of Pseudocirrhosis during Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer with Liver Metastases

• Published in: Gan to kagaku ryoho Vol. 50; no. 11; p. 1223
• Main Authors: Yano, Yuka, Kuga, Takayuki, Ikeshita, Takahiro, Shigeta, Masatoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan 01-11-2023
• Subjects: Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Embolization, Therapeutic; Female; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Neoplasms - secondary; Middle Aged; Spleen - pathology
• ISSN: 0385-0684

A 60-year-old woman was undergoing chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer and multiple liver metastases. One year and 3 months after the start of treatment, blood tests showed worsening liver function and a decrease in the platelet count. Multiple liver metastases tend to shrink on computed tomography, but pseudocirrhosis was suspected because the right lobe of the liver had atrophied and the marginal irregularities were conspicuous. The platelet count decreased because of hypersplenism, and continuing chemotherapy was difficult. Splenic artery embolization was performed by the internal medicine department, and chemotherapy was resumed once the platelet count recovered. Imaging findings consistent with cirrhosis without the typical cirrhosis histopathology are considered as pseudocirrhosis. This phenomenon has been reported for breast cancer. During chemotherapy for liver metastases, attention should be paid to its appearance. Furthermore, liver cirrhosis should be controlled, and chemotherapy should be continued in coordination with the internal medicine department.