title: Rare benign tumors of the liver: still rare?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Benign liver tumors are common. They do not spread to other areas of the body, and they usually do not pose a serious health risk. In fact, in most cases, benign liver tumors are not diagnosed because patients are asymptomatic. When they are detected, it's usually because the person has had medical imaging tests, such as an ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for another condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search of the literature was made using cancer literature and the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) database for the following keywords: "hepatic benign tumors", "hepatic cystic tumors", "polycystic liver disease", "liver macroregenerative nodules", "hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma", "hepatic angiomyolipoma", "biliary cystadenoma", and "nodular regenerative hyperplasia".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in some areas of the world; there is an increasing incidence worldwide. Approximately 750,000 new cases are reported per year. More than 75 % of cases occur in the Asia-Pacific region, largely in association with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The incidence of HCC is increasing in the USA and Europe because of the increased incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Unlike the liver HCC, benign tumors are less frequent. However, they represent a chapter always more interesting of liver disease. In fact, a careful differential diagnosis with the forms of malignant tumor is often required in such a way so as to direct the patient to the correct therapy. In conclusion, many of these tumors present with typical features in various imaging studies. On occasions, biopsies are required, and/or surgical removal is needed. In the majority of cases of benign hepatic tumors, no treatment is indicated. The main indication for treatment is the presence of significant clinical symptoms or suspicion of malignancy or fear of malignant transformation.
authors: Hepatology Unit, Department of Medical and Pediatric Science, University of Catania, Policlinic-Via S. Sofia n. 78, 95123, Catania, Italy, gaetanobertinounict@libero.it.
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: Bertino
authors: Annalisa
authors: A
authors: Ardiri
authors: Shirin
authors: S
authors: Demma
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: GiuseppeCalvagno
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Toro
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Basile
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Campagna
authors: Giorgia
authors: G
authors: Ferraro
authors: Evelise
authors: E
authors: Frazzetto
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Proiti
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Malaguarnera
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Bertino
authors: Mariano
authors: M
authors: Malaguarnera
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Malaguarnera
authors: Maria Domenica
authors: MD
authors: Amaradio
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Pricoco
authors: Isidoro
authors: I
authors: Di Carlo
mesh_terms: D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D011379:Prognosis