Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma detected by elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein-L3 after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome

We report the case of a 57-year-old woman with Budd-Chiari syndrome, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). She underwent partial hepatectomy for HCC in April 2000. After surgery, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and protein induced by vitamin K absence II (PIVKA-II) returned to normal levels, but lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) increased, and ultrasonography showed a nodule 2 cm in greatest dimension in the left lateral segment of the liver. We diagnosed this nodule as recurrence from HCC and performed a partial hepatectomy in October 2001. Microscopic examination showed that tubular adenocarcinoma and immunohistochemical staining was focally positive for AFP. AFP-L3 was 0% and AFP was 5 ng/ml 3 months after re-operation. This case was interesting in that ICC was detected by elevated levels of AFP-L3, and ICC produced AFP from the time it was minute in size.