Hepatectomy for rapidly growing solitary liver metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer: a case report

BackgroundPatients with liver metastasis from non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) usually have multiple metastases at other sites and thus rarely undergo liver surgery. We present a case involving successful resection of rapidly growing liver metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.Case presentationA 74-year-old man had undergone left lower lobectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, which was diagnosed pathologically as stage IA. A computed tomography (CT) scan that was taken 12months after lung resection showed an irregularly shaped mass lesion (size, 8.3cm) in segment five of the liver. Retrospectively, the mass was identifiable on CT 6months before this initial recognition. Although the lesion showed rapid growth, positron emission tomography and brain magnetic resonance imaging ruled out the possibility of other metastatic lesions. Therefore, we performed right hepatectomy 14months after the initial lung surgery. The patient was pathologically diagnosed with liver metastasis from lung cancer and has remained free from recurrence 41months after the liver surgery, without receiving any adjuvant chemotherapy.ConclusionsAlthough there is no reliable clinical indicator for selecting oligo-recurrence, hepatectomy could be an option for solitary liver metastasis from NSCLC for patients who are in good health.