title: Is surgery necessary for patients with hepatic angiomyolipoma? Retrospective analysis from eight Chinese cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare, hepatic mesenchymal neoplasm. Its preoperative diagnosis is very difficult, and the treatment is still controversial. The aim is to summarize experience in diagnosis and management of hepatic AML from a cancer center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentation, histopathological, features and treatment of the tumors encountered at our institute from January 2000 to December 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients included six females and two males, with female preponderance. Six patients are asymptomatic. Laboratory tests lack specificity. Combining imaging modality, only one patient obtained the accurate diagnosis of hepatic AML and was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy combined with homatropine methylbromide-45 staining. All other patients received hepatic resection. There was no tumor recurrence or increase of tumor size within the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest fine-needle aspiration combined with homatropine methylbromide-45 staining should be performed in all patients who are asymptomatic and without serological abnormalities. Surgical resection might be considered only if the malignant potential of the lesion cannot be ruled out or the tumor size is increasing during observation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Surgery, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Litao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ruizeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Yian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yunli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xinbao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D044466:Asian People; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014326:Tropanes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014326:Tropanes; C056244:homatropine methylbromide
keywords: angiomyolipoma; hepatectomy; hepatic angiomyolipoma