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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDRespirology case reports

Hepatoid Carcinoma of the Lung: A Rare Presentation

  • Cláudia Martinho1
  • Miguel Afonso1
  • Vânia Almeida1,2
  • João Couto1
  • Alexandra Cunha1
  1. 1Department of Pulmonology Coimbra Hospital and University Center Coimbra Portugal.
  2. 2Department of Pathology Coimbra Hospital and University Center Coimbra Portugal.
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Abstract

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the lung (HAL) is a rare pulmonary malignancy that resembles hepatocellular carcinoma morphologically and poses diagnostic challenges, particularly when alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is absent. We report a man in his 50s with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a solitary 1.9-cm right upper lobe nodule. Percutaneous biopsy identified non-small cell carcinoma without establishing the subtype. Video-assisted thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymphadenectomy revealed a hepatoid tumour expressing HepPar-1 and CK7 but not AFP, arginase-1 or glypican-3. The absence of a hepatic lesion on staging imaging supported a pulmonary primary. The tumour was pT1bN0 with no clinically detected metastases. At 6 months after resection, there was no evidence of recurrence. This case illustrates the limitations of small biopsies and isolated immunohistochemical markers in diagnosing an AFP-negative pulmonary hepatoid tumour.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{martinho2026hepatoid,
  title = {{Hepatoid Carcinoma of the Lung: A Rare Presentation}},
  author = {Cláudia Martinho and Miguel Afonso and Vânia Almeida and João Couto and Alexandra Cunha},
  journal = {Respirology case reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/rcr2.70793},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717599},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Hepatoid Carcinoma of the Lung: A Rare Presentation
AU  - Cláudia Martinho
AU  - Miguel Afonso
AU  - Vânia Almeida
AU  - João Couto
AU  - Alexandra Cunha
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
JO  - Respirology case reports
DO  - 10.1002/rcr2.70793
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717599
AB  - Hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the lung (HAL) is a rare pulmonary malignancy that resembles hepatocellular carcinoma morphologically and poses diagnostic challenges, particularly when alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is absent. We report a man in his 50s with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a solitary 1.9-cm right upper lobe nodule. Percutaneous biopsy identified non-small cell carcinoma without establishing the subtype. Video-assisted thoracoscopic right upper lobectomy with mediastinal lymphadenectomy revealed a hepatoid tumour expressing HepPar-1 and CK7 but not AFP, arginase-1 or glypican-3. The absence of a hepatic lesion on staging imaging supported a pulmonary primary. The tumour was pT1bN0 with no clinically detected metastases. At 6 months after resection, there was no evidence of recurrence. This case illustrates the limitations of small biopsies and isolated immunohistochemical markers in diagnosing an AFP-negative pulmonary hepatoid tumour.
SN  - 2051-3380
ER  -