Hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.

A case of dedifferentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells resembling those of giant cell tumor of bone is presented. The clinicopathologic findings are described, and the literature concerning this type tumor is reviewed. The tumor differed histologically from a pleomorphic variant of hepatocellular carcinoma in that there were numerous osteoclast-like giant cells with numerous, small, uniform, benign-appearing nuclei. To the knowledge of the authors, there has been only one report of this type of tumor arising in the liver. The tumor contained a separate area of a histologically conventional hepatocellular carcinoma, in addition to the above giant cell areas.