TITLE:
Rapidly Progressing Hepatic Angiosarcoma Terminally Cared for at Home: A Case Discussion—Hepatic Angiosarcoma Taken Palliative Care at Home
AUTHORS:
Hiroaki Yamane, Aki Yoshimitsu, Tomoko Itagaki, Motoi Yamane
KEYWORDS:
Hepatic Angiosarcoma, Home-Based Palliative Care Service, Home Oxygen Therapy, Invasive Tumor
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
5,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: Hepatic angiosarcoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis due to its tendency for distant sites. Few opportunities exist for palliative treatment of hepatic angiosarcomas at home. Here, we report a rare case of palliative treatment of hepatic angiosarcoma at home. Case Presentation: An 87-year-old male patient complained of upper abdominal pain and anorexia, persisting for 2 months. Computed tomography revealed multiple tumors in the liver, spleen, left kidney, and bone. Hepatic angiosarcoma was diagnosed based on the liver biopsy results. Due to his advanced age and dementia, the patient and his family decided to receive palliative treatment at home, thereby initiating home medical care at our clinic. During the first visit, oral opioid medication was introduced, and home oxygen therapy (HOT) was initiated because of complaints of cancer pain and respiratory distress. As oral intake became difficult, the patient was switched to a patch opioid, and suppositories were used for ton use. The patient was treated with morphine and HOT; however, the improvement in respiratory distress was below acceptable. The patient died at home on the ninth day after his visit. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on palliative care for hepatic angiosarcoma at home. Owing to the rapid progression of this disease, home physicians must know its characteristics and provide appropriate medical care.