Primary extrarenal rhabdoid tumour of the liver: a case report and literature review

Background: Extrarenal rhabdoid tumours (ERT) are highly aggressive tumours that are poorly responsive to standard cytotoxic chemotherapy and are associated with a grim prognosis. Primary ERT of the liver are most commonly observed in early childhood and exceptionally rare later in life.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 16-year-old male patient, presenting with flu-like symptoms after his second COVIDvaccination. During the work-up, a large solid liver lesion was incidentally discovered upon abdominal ultrasound examination. Pathological examination rendered the diagnosis of primary ERT of the liver, characterized by the loss of expression of INI-1 protein, encoded by the SMARCB1 gene. We summarized and discuss the existing literature by reviewing 53 pediatric and 6 adult cases, including the histological features treatment and outcomes of primary hepatic ERT.

Conclusion: Primary ERT of the liver are usually not associated with specific signs or symptoms, making the diagnosis very challenging. As ERT are associated with a high metastatic rate, delayed diagnoses lead to increased mortality, as complete resection is not possible in advanced-stage cases. Therefore, early diagnoses, enabling complete resection of the tumour are crucial to improve patient outcomes. Of interest, primary ERT of the liver, is associated with biallelic loss of the SMARCB1 (SWI/ SNF Related, Matrix Associated, Actin Dependent Regulator Of Chromatin, Subfamily B, Member 1) gene, a potential target for cancer therapeutics. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of a hepatic rhabdoid tumour treated with liver transplantation.

Keywords: rhabdoid tumour, liver tumour, SMARCB1, INI-1, liver transplantation.