Hepatoblastoma in a child of extremely low birth weight.
Hepatoblastoma is a rare childhood embryonal malignancy. Recent reports suggested a linkage between premature birth and later development of hepatoblastoma. In August 2000, we encountered a 24-month-old boy with extremely low birth weight who developed hepatoblastoma with an unfavorable histology. His birth weight was only 584 g. Radiological evaluation of the liver revealed a hypoattenuated tumor occupying the left lobe. His initial serum alpha-fetoprotein level was 4032 ng/mL. The patient underwent successful left hepatectomy. The histological examination showed that the tumor, weighing 210 g, was a hepatoblastoma of epithelial type in two different patterns. One was composed purely of fetal type of tumor cells, whereas another was made up of embryonal type of cells in a macrotrabecular pattern. Four courses of adjuvant chemotherapy were given after surgery and were well tolerated. The patient remained in clinical remission 18 months after diagnosis.
Jaing
Tang-Her
TH
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Hung
Iou-Jih
IJ
Lin
Jer-Nan
JN
Lien
Rey-In
RI
Hsueh
Chuen
C
Lu
Chia-Shun
CS
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins