title: Successful treatment of a primary endodermal sinus tumor of the liver.
abstract: A 27-year-old woman had a large hepatic tumor and a markedly increased serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. A diagnosis of endodermal sinus tumor was made after a needle biopsy was performed on the liver. Clinical and radiologic examinations did not show an alternative primary site. Treatment with cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin was started, but, after three cycles, was changed to cisplatin, vincristine, methotrexate, bleomycin, dactinomycin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide because the serum AFP level was decreasing too slowly. After additional chemotherapy was given, the patient was well but had an increased AFP level and a large residual mass in the liver. A right hemihepatectomy was performed, but no viable tumor was present. The patient is alive and disease-free 5 years later. Thus, AFP levels may be misleading in the presence of large necrotic tumors. The authors stress the need to make a diagnosis of these rare tumors early because aggressive treatment with combination chemotherapy may result in cure.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund Department of Medical Oncology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stebbings
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calne
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008649:Mesonephroma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D003609:Dactinomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate