Hepatoblastoma: experience from a single center.
BACKGROUND
The cornerstones of successful treatment of hepatoblastoma (HB) include preoperative chemotherapy followed by complete anatomical resection of tumor, followed by chemotherapy. Advances in chemotherapy in the last 2 decades have been associated with a higher rate of tumor response and possibly a greater potential for resectability.


OBJECTIVE
We analyzed our single center experience with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and surgery in HBs.


METHODS
Our study included all children with HBs who received NACT and underwent surgical excision from January 1997 to July 2004.


METHODS
Patient characteristics, clinical features, clinical course, treatment modalities, and long-term outcome were analyzed.


RESULTS
There were 9 boys and 3 girls, aged 5-60 months (median age at tumor diagnosis was 24 months). All received NACT containing cisplatin and doxorubicin. Of the 12 children, 9 underwent hepatectomy and among them, 4 patients each had right and left hepatectomy and 1 patient underwent right extended hepatectomy. After surgery, all patients completed rest of the chemotherapy course (total 6 cycles). R0 resection was carried out in all the 9 cases with no life-threatening complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience of the 9 cases, although less in number, reaffirms the advantages of NACT followed by surgery. The prognosis for patients with resectable tumors is fairly good in combination with chemotherapy.
Singh
T
T
Department of Medical Oncology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore - 560 030, India.
Satheesh
C T
CT
Appaji
L
L
Aruna Kumari
B S
BS
Padma
M
M
Kumar
M V
MV
Mukherjee
G
G
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin