Cystadenoma of the liver without mesenchymal stroma in a female following hormonal therapy for acne.
BACKGROUND
Liver cystadenomas are relatively rare tumours that can be difficult to diagnose; treatment entails complete surgical extirpation either by either anatomical resection or enucleation.


METHODS
A 19-year-old woman presented with acute onset of abdominal pain and was found to have a multilocular giant liver cyst.The cyst was percutaneously drained; CEA and CA 19-9 tumour markers were elevated in this cyst fluid: CEA 96 microg/L, CAI9-9 37 550 kU/L. The cyst was completely enucleated and has not recurred. Pathological examination confirmed a cystadenoma without mesenchymal stroma, and tumour oestrogen and progesterone receptors were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the fourth report of a liver cystadenoma without mesenchymal stroma in a female and the first to document elevated cyst fluid tumour markers. This case also illustrates the possible relationship between hormonal therapy and tumour growth.
Dixon
E
E
Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Sutherland
F R
FR
Burak
K
K
McKinnon
G
G
May
G
G