[Overview: liver tumors].
Since the introduction of abdominal ultrasound liver lesions have been increasingly detected. Being usually diagnosed by chance these lesions create psychological stress among patients because a potential malignant disease has to be taken into consideration. The increasing use of oral contraceptives with high estrogen doses starting in the 1980s led to a rising incidence of adenomas, whose natural history differed from those described in surgical and autoptic studies. This fact brought about a change towards a modern pathophysiologic and prognostic differentiation. Current histologic and molecular biological techniques are able to distinguish benign adenomas from those with malignant potential.
Univ.-Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Gastroenterologie & Hepatologie, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Österreich. ivo.graziadei@i-med.ac.at
Ivo
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Graziadei
D018248:Adenoma, Liver Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000473:pathology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis