title: Adult hepatic cavernous haemangioma with highly elevated alpha-fetoprotein.
abstract: A 35-year-old Chinese man presented with dull pain in the right hypochondrial region for the previous 2 months. Laboratory examination revealed that his serum alpha-fetoprotein level was 1890 microg/L (reference range, 0-20 microg/L), and computed tomographic scan showed a hypodense lesion in the left liver lobe. At laparotomy, a dark reddish soft tumour (3.0 x 3.5 cm in diameter) was found in the medial segment of the liver (segment III). The tumour became markedly smaller than that before resection, and a vessel-like structure was found on the cut surface. Intra-operative pathology and postoperative histopathology examinations revealed that the tumour was a cavernous haemangioma of the liver. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level decreased to 3.5 microg/L by the fourth postoperative week. Clinicians should be aware that some rare tumours besides hepatocellular carcinoma and endodermal sinus tumours (yolk sac tumour), for example, hepatic haemangioma, can produce alpha-fetoprotein.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou City 325000, Zhejiang Province, PR China. slhan88@126.com
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Z R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins