Fibrolamellar hepatic carcinoma in an area with a low incidence of primary liver cancer: a retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence and prognosis of fibrolamellar hepatic carcinoma in a defined population.


METHODS
Retrospective study of histological slides.


METHODS
University hospital, Sweden.


METHODS
The 532 patients (out of a total of 711 who were treated at the university hospital during a 22 year period 1 January 1958-31 December 1979) whose primary hepatocellular carcinoma was confirmed on review of the histological slides.


METHODS
Incidence and prognosis of fibrolamellar hepatic carcinoma.


RESULTS
Two patients (women aged 22 and 46) were found to have fibrolamellar tumours and in both they were advanced and the patients died 2 weeks and 9 months, respectively, after exploratory laparotomy. If these are taken as a proportion of the 18 patients who were under the age of 50 at the time of diagnosis then the incidence of the fibrolamellar type of hepatocellular carcinoma is 11%. Since then (in 1993) we have come across one further case, a woman of 39 who was well 22 months after operation though she had metastatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The fibrolamellar type of hepatocellular carcinoma is rare, and all three of our cases were young women (under the age of 50). It seems to have a slightly better prognosis than other types of primary hepatic tumours.
Kaczynski
J
J
Department of Medicine, University of Göteborg, Ostra Sjukhuset, Sweden.
Gustavsson
B
B
Hansson
G
G
Wallerstedt
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology