Case report
Hepatic breast cancer dissemination after an iatrogenic hepatic laceration during talc pleurodesis: a case report
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* Corresponding author: Joaquim Bosch-Barrera jboschbarrera@yahoo.es
Department of Oncology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, Calle Pío XII 36, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
International Archives of Medicine 2010, 3:6 doi:10.1186/1755-7682-3-6
Published: 6 May 2010Abstract
Background
Talc pleurodesis is an effective treatment for malignant pleural effusion. We present a case of an asymptomatic hepatic laceration that occurred during pleurodesis in a breast cancer patient and led to hepatic tumor dissemination.
Discussion
Pleurodesis is a relatively safe procedure, although previous studies have described malignant invasion of scar tissue.
Conclusion
To our knowledge, this is the first case report of tumor spread due to a liver puncture during talc pleurodesis in a breast cancer patient.