Bone Metastases as the Main Clinical Manifestation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma : A Report of Two Cases

ABSTRACT Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for more than 85% of primary liver cancers. Recently, progresses in diagnostic modalities and therapeutic procedures have prolonged the survival in patients with HCC. Bone involvement is reported as uncommon in HCC. Axial skeleton is the most frequent localization of bone metastases. Few reports have appeared in the literature concerning patients who presented with skeletal metastases as the clinical manifestation of HCC. We describe our experience with two patients with skeletal metastases as the dominant clinical manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma. RESUME Le carcinome hepatocellulaire (CHC) represente plus de 85% des cancers primitifs du foie. Recemment, les progres realises sur les plans diagnostique et therapeutique ont permis de prolonger la survie des patients atteints de CHC. L'atteinte osseuse est signalee comme peu frequente dans le CHC. Le squelette axial est la localisation la plus frequente des metastases osseuses. Peu d’etudes dans la litterature concernent les patients qui presentent des metastases squelettiques comme une manifestation clinique du CHC. Nous rapportons notre experience avec deux patients presentant des metastases squelettiques comme manifestation clinique dominante du CHC.