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Primary cancers of the liver: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Fibrolamellar carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatoblastoma and angiosarcoma are rare. To confirm the diagnosis, usually a biopsy is required.
The prognosis is usually unfavorable. In some cases, localized tumors can be resected. Survival of patients can be increased by resection or liver transplantation.
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Fibrolamellar carcinoma of the liver
Fibrolamellar carcinoma is a variant of hepatocellular carcinoma with a characteristic morphology of malignancy of hepatocytes encased in lamellar fibrous tissue. The tumor usually develops at a young age and is not associated with previous or existing liver cirrhosis, HBV or HCV infections, and other known risk factors. The AFP level is rarely elevated. The prognosis is more favorable than in hepatocellular carcinoma, and many patients live several years after resection of the tumor.
Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma is a tumor originating from the bile duct epithelium, characteristic of China, and is believed to be based on invasion of the hepatic fluke. At the same time, the tumor is more rare than hepatocellular carcinoma. Histologically, there can be a combination of these two diseases. Patients with long-term ulcerative colitis and sclerosing cholangitis have an increased risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma.
Hepatoblastoma
Hepatoblastoma is a rare tumor, but it is one of the most frequent primary cancers of the liver in newborns, especially in cases of familial adenomatous polyposis. A tumor can also develop in children. Hepatoblastoma sometimes occurs with early puberty caused by ectopic production of gonadotropin, but this is usually detected when the general condition worsens and the volume formation in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen is detected. The diagnosis is helped by an increase in the level of AFP and the detection of changes in instrumental examination.
Angiosarcoma of the liver
Angiosarcoma is a rare tumor, and its development is associated with certain chemical carcinogens, including industrial vinyl chloride.