HEPATIC EPITHELIOID HEMANGIOENDOTHELIOMA WITH POLYCYTHEMIA - REPORT OF A CASE WITH LYMPH-NODE METASTASES AS THE 1ST MANIFESTATION

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare endothelial tumor of low-grade malignancy which can arise in the soft tissues, bones, lungs, or liver. The case of a 52-year-old male in whom cervical lymph node metastases occurred as the first manifestation of a hepatic hemangioendothelioma is reported. After one year of watchful waiting, the patient suddenly developed polycythemia of unclear pathogenesis and fatal liver failure. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of polycythemia during the course of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. The main characteristics of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma are reported and possible links between this tumor and polycythemia are discussed.