title: [Diagnosis and treatment of primary hepatic angiosarcoma: a report of 7 cases with a literature review].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary hepatic angiosarcoma (PHA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 7 PHA patients admitted to our hospital from December 2004 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed and the relevant literatures reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven cases (5 males and 2 females) were diagnosed as PHA among 1027 (0.68%) patients with primary hepatic malignant tumors. Their mean age was 43.3 years old (range: 33 - 74). Four cases were of solitary lesion and three of multiple lesions. No specific clinical features were observed. The PHA lesions were easily misdiagnosed as benign or hepatic metastatic tumors. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) showed the lesions with characteristic manifestations. And the positron emission tomography (PET-CT) could confirm the hepatic lesions as malignant tumors. The survival time for two untreated cases was 3 & 5 months, for two cases with liver transplantation (LTx) 3 & 8 months and for two cases treated with surgical resection & targeted therapy was 14 & 19 months respectively. One case was lost to follow-up at 6 months after hepatic resection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PHA is a clinically rare and highly malignant tumor with a rapid progression and a poor prognosis. Both CEUS and PET-CT are helpful for its differential and confirmative diagnosis. LTx should be considered as a contraindication for PHA. Hepatic resection has proven to be beneficial for PHA patients with solitary lesion. Surgical resection plus targeted medicines may improve their survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Surgery, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Tian-yi
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Zhi-ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hua-dan
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Rui-e
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hai-feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xin-ting
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Sang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yi-lei
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Shou-xian
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jie-fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies