Two Cases of Hepatoblastoma in Young Adults

Abstract

Adult hepatoblastoma (AHB) is a rare liver tumor with a poor prognosis in adolescents and adults. This contrasts with hepatoblastoma in children and is not fully understood. Here we describe two adolescents with AHB who were treated in our hospital. Adolescents are likely to receive less intensive chemotherapy protocols and are treated in hospitals with less experience in pediatric oncology, resulting in poor outcome. More research is necessary for optimal treatment of AHB in adolescents. Adolescents with AHB should be referred to hospitals experienced in pediatric oncology and receive intensive chemotherapy, followed by hemihepatectomy.

Metastatic Hepatoblastoma in Adolescence: A Clinical Case Report and Literature Review

“…In this case, the patient presented with symptoms associated with decompensated chronic liver disease, including ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and jaundice. The diagnostic work-up involves imaging studies (abdominal ultrasound, CT abdomen, or MRI), laboratory (alpha-fetoprotein as a clinical and prognostic marker), and the liver biopsy, which can identify various histological subtypes including epithelioid, fetal, mixed, undifferentiated, and mesenchymal hepatoblastoma [7,8]. Imaging findings revealed a lobulated, heterogeneous mass with partially defined borders that enhanced the arterial phase and washed out in the venous phase.…”

Reporte de caso clínico: Hepatoblastoma del adulto

“…El hepatoblastoma es cáncer infrecuente en la infancia (incidencia anual: 0,5-1,5/1.000.000) y que se presenta entre los seis meses y cinco años de vida aproximadamente 6 . En 1958 se describió el primer caso de hepatoblastoma en el adulto 7,8 y hasta junio de 2012 se habían recogido 45 casos publicados recientemente por Rougemont 1 .…”

“…Aproximadamente en el 25 % de los hepatoblastomas de la adultez se ha referido la coexistencia de fibrosis y cirrosis 1 . Se han mencioando componentes mesenquimales, reminiscentes de fibrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, condrosarcoma, angiosarcoma o rabdiomiosarcoma 6 .…”

Hepatoblastoma del adulto

“…Así pues, el HBA es un tumor hepático poco frecuente y con un mal pronóstico, lo cual contrasta con el HBI. Además, aún no se comprende completamente (2). En efecto, desde la primera descripción del HBA, realizada por Marx en 1904, con la denominación de tumor mixto del hígado (1), no se han reportado adecuadamente más de 50 casos en la literatura médica (3).…”