title: Hepatic neoplasms in children: a focus on differential diagnosis.
abstract: Paediatric hepatic neoplasias are rare, accounting for 1-4% of all solid childhood tumors. Liver tumors in children can be classified into benign or malignant; some of the benign lesions can have the potential of malignant transformation. Two-thirds of liver tumors in children are malignant. Hepatoblastoma accounts for two-thirds of malignant liver tumors in children. Other liver malignancies in children include sarcomas, germ cell and rhabdoid tumours, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Benign tumors of the liver in children include vascular tumours, hamartomas, adenomas, and focal nodular hyperplasia. The histology and anatomy of a paediatric liver tumour guides the treatment and prognosis. Although benign and malignant liver masses share some clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis differ.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Paediatrics, Semmelweis University, Bókay János utca 53, 1083 Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: dezsofi.antal@med.semmelweis-univ.hu.
authors.forename: Antal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dezsőfi
authors.affiliation: Swiss Center for Liver Disease in Children, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: McLin
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Centre for Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nedim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hadzic
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*