Adrenalectomy in a Patient With Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Adrenal Gland: A Case Report

Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in the adrenal gland is clinically rare, for which there are no clear criteria for examination or treatment. A 70-year-old man underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection seven years prior and was diagnosed with rectal cancer stage 1 (T2N0). Right hepatic resection for suspected hepatocellular carcinoma in his liver six years and nine months prior was performed. Thereafter, the patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma stage 3 (T3N0). During the follow-up period, elevated alpha-fetoprotein levels were detected, indicating hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. Follow-up computed tomography in the delayed phase detected a heterogeneous 5 cm mass in the left adrenal gland. Therefore, we diagnosed the patient with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma in the adrenal gland, for which we performed an adrenalectomy with a favorable prognosis.