Hepatocellular carcinoma associated with anabolic steroid therapy: report of a case and review of the Japanese literature

J Gastroenterol. 1996 Jun;31(3):450-4.

Hepatocellular carcinoma associated with anabolic steroid therapy: report of a
case and review of the Japanese literature.

Kosaka A, Takahashi H, Yajima Y, Tanaka M, Okamura K, Mizumoto R, Katsuta K.

Department of Surgery, Matsusaka City Hospital, Mie, Japan.

We report herein the case of a 35-year-old woman with aplastic anemia who
developed hepatocellular carcinoma after long-term therapy with oxymetholone. She
was treated with 60 mg/day of oxymetholone for 3 years (total dose 64.8 g).
Alpha-fetoprotein, hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody were all
negative, but serum titers of carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen
were elevated. Lateral segmentectomy of the liver was performed. The
histopathological findings were compatible with those of multiple hepatocellular
carcinoma without liver cirrhosis. Three years since the operation, the patient
is doing well and no signs of tumor recurrence have been detected. According to
our review of Japanese cases of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with anabolic
steroid therapy, in all instances the tumors developed after long-term
administration of anabolic steroids for hematologic diseases. In patients under
long-term anabolic steroid therapy, routine screening of the liver by
ultrasonography and computed tomography should be performed to detect liver
tumors in the early stages.