Colorectal adenocarcinoma with hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma: A case report

RATIONALE: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors are rarely reported and extremely blurry to diagnose, especially in the case of a confirmed diagnosis of colon cancer and a family history. Here we report such a case followed by our experiences and lessons. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 62-year-old male with a family history of colon cancer has been recently admitted to our hospital, exhibiting multiple hepatic lesions when diagnosed as colon cancer, and all assistant examinations indicated the hepatic metastases. DIAGNOSES: Liver puncture biopsy and immunohistochemistry confirmed hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma, which was tended to primary hepatic tumor combining medical history. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: The patient refused the further treatment and dead of liver failure. LESSONS: Hepatic neuroendocrine tumors exhibited no specific symptoms, signs or imaging manifestations, mainly relying on immunohistochemistry for diagnosis, which makes it difficult to be distinguished from other liver masses and metastatic tumors, especially interfered by a confirmed diagnosis of colon cancer and a family history. In this regard, more rigorousness is required in the diagnosis and treatment of liver tumors.