Skin implant metastasis after percutaneous radio-frequency therapy of liver metastasis of a colorectal carcinoma.

Percutaneous radio-frequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumors has been reported to be an effective approach. Skin implant metastases have been described after RFA of hepatocellular carcinoma. A 56-year-old man underwent resection of the transverse colon for an adenocarcinoma (pT3N2M0) following by adjuvant chemotherapy. He developed multiple liver metastases and underwent RFA. Six weeks after RFA, the patient noticed a painful skin lesion at the entrance side of the probe in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Ultrasound examination and computed tomography scan revealed an intracutaneous tumor of 2-cm diameter. The tumor was excised and revealed a metastasis of the previously described adenocarcinoma. CPT-11 monotherapy was started; however, due to tumor progression, the patient died 35 months after colonic resection and 10 months after RFA. This is the first case of an implant skin metastasis after RFA of secondary liver tumors. Although RFA is a promising option in the palliation of such tumors, such rare complications have to be considered.