Primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma: clinicopathologic analysis of surgical treatment of 12 cases from a single institutional experience

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PHNEC) is a kind of rarer disease than gastrointestine derived neuroendocrine carcinoma. Therefore, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis and determine a proper therapeutic decision. 12 PHNEC patients were admitted to our hospital from November 2011 to June 2015. CT/MRI, B-ultrasonography and laboratory examination were performed before liver resection. The patients' clinical data were recorded and all patients were followed up. All patients received liver resection including right/left hepatectomy or mesohepatectomy. PHNEC was confirmed pathologically in the 12 patients, immunohistochemical staining in these tumor cells was positive for CgA and Syn and negative for CEA and AFP. The mean follow-up time was 13 (1-45) months, and 3 patients died due to disease aggression or recurrence during the period. PHNEC is rare and easy to be diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma, and careful screening to exclude gastrointestinal tumors is needed preoperatively. Radical resection with clear margin is the best choice for PHNEC, and provides favorable prognosis.