Prolonged survival following multiple thoracotomies for metastatic hepatoblastoma.
A 14-month-old boy presented with hepatoblastoma, which was completely excised. He had pulmonary metastases, diagnosed 1 year later, treated with chemotherapy followed by resection at age 2 1/2 years. At the age of 3 1/2 years a further metastasis was shown on CT scan and this was resected. Two further metastses were resected at ages 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 years. At age 9 1/2 he had a further isolated pulmonary metastasis resected and is again disease-free more than 30 months from the last thoracotomy. Prolonged survival following metastatic hepatoblastoma can be achieved with repeated thoracotomies, especially if the first recurrence is more than 6 months from diagnosis and the number of metastases is small. Follow-up examinations should be both radiological and with serum alpha fetaprotein (S alpha FP).
Childhood Cancer Research Group, Oxford, England.
S J
SJ
Passmore
H R
HR
Noblett
J D
JD
Wisheart
M G
MG
Mott
D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013908:Thoracotomy