Liver Angiosarcoma Caused by 22-Year Exposure to Vinyl Chloride Monomer

Many experimental studies demonstrated that VCM can produce malignant transformation 1). For example, after one-year exposure of rats to VCM in a 3% concentration by volume in air, cutaneous cancers, pulmonary adenocarcinomas and chondrosarcomas of the extremities developed 2). In another experiment on rats exposed to VCM (26 to 76,800 mg ×m^-3 ) again for 12 months hepatic angiosarcomas were observed 3). Liver angiosarcoma is a rare tumour developing more often in men exposed to various chemical compounds 1-14). Cases of this tumour were seen to develop following exposure to VCM, arsenic, radium and thorotrast, an X-ray contrast agent 4). Case Report The patient, a man aged 47, married (case record No. 4033/94) with a history of exposure to VCM in the years 1972-1994, was admitted to our hospital because of rapidly progressing weight loss, weakness, breathlessness, aching and a feeling of distension in the right epigastrium, with fever up to 38℃ The beginning of these symptoms was 2 months earlier. Before that, he had had no disease except an appendectomy. He smoked about 15 cigarettes daily, and drank alcohol occasionally. The family history and environmental conditions were not relevant. From 1972 to March, 1994 he had been working always in same working post exposed to VCM.