ArticleCase reports in hepatology2026
The Abscess That Was Cancer: Pyogenic Liver Abscess as the Initial Manifestation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Noncirrhotic Patient.
Article in Case reports in hepatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- The Abscess That Was Cancer: Pyogenic Liver Abscess as the Initial Manifestation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Noncirrhotic Patient.Case reports in hepatology · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Malignant and benign hepatic diseases may both present with systemic symptoms and necrotic liver cavities. Although rare and reported predominantly in East Asia, pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) can represent the initial manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as necrotic tumors may mimic infectious abscesses. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old Italian man presented with a 2-week history of fever and right upper quadrant pain. Computed tomography revealed a multiloculated lesion with irregular margins and a solid component in the right hepatic lobe, suggestive of a liver abscess, and empirical tigecycline therapy was initiated. Low-titer Discussion: PLA presenting as the initial manifestation of HCC is associated with poor prognosis, largely due to diagnostic delays. Limited clinical experience outside high-prevalence regions and nonspecific clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings contribute to underrecognition of malignancy. Positive microbiological or serological results and transient clinical improvement during antimicrobial therapy do not exclude an underlying neoplasm. Liver biopsy and close radiologic follow-up are essential in atypical or treatment-refractory cases. Conclusion: PLA as a presenting feature of HCC is unusual, especially in Europe, yet poses substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Increased clinical awareness and early histopathological evaluation are crucial to avoid delayed oncologic diagnosis.
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