Hepatocellular carcinoma — MCQs

A 52-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of a 3-week history of abdominal distention, yellow coloring of the skin, and dark urine. He also reports malaise and progressive shortness of breath, associated with slight exertion, for several weeks. The patient is a chronic drinker, and he was diagnosed with cirrhosis 2 years ago. He was warned to stop drinking alcohol, but he continues to drink. He hasn't accepted any more testing and has refused to visit the doctor until now. His vital signs are heart rate 62/min, respiratory rate 26/min, temperature 37.4°C (99.3°F), and blood pressure 117/95 mm Hg. On physical examination, there is dyspnea and polypnea. Skin and sclera are jaundiced. The abdomen has visible collateral circulation and looks distended. There is diffuse abdominal pain upon palpation in the right hemiabdomen, and the liver is palpated 10 cm below the right costal border. The legs show significant edema. CT scan shows cirrhosis with portal hypertension and collateral circulation. During the fifth day of his hospital stay, the patient presents with oliguria and altered mental status. Laboratory studies show: Day 1 Day 5 Hemoglobin 12.1 g/dL 11.2 g/dL Hematocrit 33.3% 31.4% Leukocyte count 7,000/mm3 6,880/mm3 Platelet count 220,000/mm3 134,000/mm3 Total bilirubin 20.4 mg/dL 28.0 mg/dL Direct bilirubin 12.6 mg/dL 21.7 mg/dL Creatinine 2.2 mg/dL 2.9 mg/dL Albumin 3.4 g/dL 2.6 g/dL PT 15 s 16.9 s aPTT 19 s 35 s Urinalysis Negative for nitrite Negative for leukocyte esterase 0–2 RBCs per high power field 0–1 WBC per high power field No evidence of casts or proteinuria What is the most likely cause of this patient's increased creatinine?

The patient undergoes a mammogram, which shows a 6.5mm sized mass with an irregular border and spiculated margins. A subsequent core needle biopsy of the mass shows infiltrating ductal carcinoma with HER2-positive, estrogen-negative, and progesterone-negative immunohistochemistry staining. Blood counts and liver function tests are normal. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 12.5 g/dL Serum Na+ 140 mEq/L Cl- 103 mEq/L K+ 4.2 mEq/L HCO3- 26 mEq/L Ca2+ 8.9 mg/dL Urea Nitrogen 12 mg/dL Glucose 110 mg/dL Alkaline Phosphatase 25 U/L Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 15 U/L Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 13 U/L Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 56-year-old African American presents to the emergency department due to abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss over the past 3 months. He has a long-standing history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection complicated by cirrhosis. On examination, he has jaundice, leg edema, and a palpable mass in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Abdominal ultrasound shows a 3-cm liver mass with poorly defined margins and coarse, irregular internal echoes. Blood investigations are shown: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 90 U/L Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 50 U/L Total bilirubin 2 mg/dL Albumin 3 g/dL Alkaline phosphatase 100 U/L Alpha fetoprotein 600 micrograms/L Which of the following targeted agents is approved for advanced-stage hepatoma?

A scientist is researching the long term effects of the hepatitis viruses on hepatic tissue. She finds that certain strains are oncogenic and increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, they appear to do so via different mechanisms. Which of the following answer choices correctly pairs the hepatitis virus with the correct oncogenic process?

A 56-year-old African American presents to the emergency department due to abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss over the past 3 months. He has a long-standing history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection complicated by cirrhosis. On examination, he has jaundice, leg edema, and a palpable mass in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Abdominal ultrasound shows a 3-cm liver mass with poorly defined margins and coarse, irregular internal echoes. Lab results are shown: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 90 U/L Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 50 U/L Total bilirubin 2 mg/dL Albumin 3 g/dL Alkaline phosphatase 100 U/L Alpha-fetoprotein 600 ng/mL Which of the following is a feature of this patient's condition?

A 27-year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of a left-sided headache and right-sided blurry vision. She states that 2 weeks ago she developed dark urine and abdominal pain. She thought it was a urinary tract infection so she took trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole that she had left over. She planned on going to her primary care physician today but then she developed headache and blurry vision so she came to the emergency department. The patient states she is otherwise healthy. Her family history is significant for a brother with sickle cell trait. On physical examination, there is mild abdominal tenderness, and the liver edge is felt 4 cm below the right costal margin. Labs are drawn as below: Hemoglobin: 7.0 g/dL Platelets: 149,000/mm^3 Reticulocyte count: 5.4% Lactate dehydrogenase: 3128 U/L Total bilirubin: 2.1 mg/dL Indirect bilirubin: 1.4 mg/dL Aspartate aminotransferase: 78 U/L Alanine aminotransferase: 64 U/L A peripheral smear shows polychromasia. A Doppler ultrasound of the liver shows decreased flow in the right hepatic vein. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is pending. Which of the following tests, if performed, would most likely identify the patient’s diagnosis?

A 52-year-old man presents to his physician after his routine screening revealed that he has elevated liver enzymes. He complains of occasional headaches during the past year, but otherwise feels well. The patient reports that he was involved in a serious car accident in the 1980s. He does not smoke or drink alcohol. He has no history of illicit intravenous drug use. He does not currently take any medications and has no known allergies. His father had a history of alcoholism and died of liver cancer. The patient appears thin. His temperature is 37.8°C (100°F), pulse is 100/min, and blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg. The physical examination reveals no abnormalities. The laboratory test results show the following: Complete blood count Hemoglobin 14 g/dL Leukocyte count 10,000/mm3 Platelet count 146,000/mm3 Comprehensive metabolic profile Glucose 150 mg/dL Albumin 3.2 g/dL Total bilirubin 1.5 mg/dL Alkaline phosphatase 75 IU/L AST 95 IU/L ALT 73 IU/L Other lab tests HIV negative Hepatitis B surface antigen negative Hepatitis C antibody positive HCV RNA positive HCV genotype 1 A liver biopsy is performed and shows mononuclear infiltrates localized to portal tracts that reveal periportal hepatocyte necrosis. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 36-year-old female presents to the emergency department with right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain. She describes the pain as dull and getting progressively worse over the last several weeks. She denies any relationship to eating. Her past medical history is significant for endometriosis, which she manages with oral contraceptive pills, and follicular thyroid cancer, for which she underwent total thyroidectomy and now takes levothyroxine. The patient drinks a six pack of beer most nights of the week, and she has a 20 pack-year smoking history. She recently returned from visiting cousins in Mexico who have several dogs. Her temperature is 98.2°F (36.8°C), blood pressure is 132/87 mmHg, pulse is 76/min, and respirations are 14/min. On physical exam, her abdomen is soft and non-distended with tenderness in the right upper quadrant and palpable hepatomegaly. Laboratory testing is performed and reveals the following: Aspartate aminotransferase (AST, GOT): 38 U/L Alanine aminotransferase (ALT, GPT): 32 U/L Alkaline phosphatase: 196 U/L gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT): 107 U/L Total bilirubin: 0.8 mg/dL RUQ ultrasound demonstrates a solitary, well-demarcated, heterogeneous 6 cm mass in the right lobe of the liver. CT scan with contrast reveals peripheral enhancement during the early phase with centripetal flow during the portal venous phase. Which of the following is a risk factor for this condition?

A 48-year-old homeless male presents to the ED because he hasn’t felt well recently. He states that he has been feeling nauseous and extremely weak over the past few days. He has several previous admissions for alcohol intoxication and uses heroin occasionally. His temperature is 100.9°F (38.3°C), blood pressure is 127/89 mmHg, and pulse is 101/min. His physical examination is notable for palmar erythema, tender hepatomegaly, and gynecomastia. His laboratory findings are notable for: AST: 170 U/L ALT: 60 U/L GGT: 400 (normal range: 0-45 U/L) Alkaline phosphatase: 150 IU/L Direct bilirubin: 0.2 mg/dL Total bilirubin: 0.8 mg/dL WBC: 10,500 Serum iron: 100 µg/dL TIBC: 300 µg/dL (normal range: 250–370 µg/dL) Serum acetaminophen screen: Negative Serum AFP: 6 ng/mL (normal range: < 10ng/mL) Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient’s symptoms?

A 44-year-old man comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. He had not seen his primary care physician for 7 years. He has no complaints other than feeling easily fatigued. He has no significant medical history. He reports drinking half a pint of liquor a day. His temperature is 98.7°F (37.1°C), pulse is 65/min, respiratory rate is 15/min, and blood pressure is 120/70 mm Hg. Physical examination shows reddish color to both of his palms. His abdomen has no focal tenderness but is difficult to assess due to distention. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 11.0 g/dL Hematocrit 33% Leukocyte count 5,000/mm3 Platelet count 60,000/mm3 Serum Na+ 135 mEq/L K+ 4.5 mEq/L Cl- 100 mEq/L HCO3- 24 mEq/L Urea nitrogen 15 mg/dL Creatinine 1.3 mg/dL Total bilirubin 3.0 mg/dL AST 112 U/L ALT 80 U/L Alkaline phosphatase 130 U/L Which of the following is the most likely explanation for this patient's thrombocytopenia?