Liver Tumors
Objective
1. Identify the most important features of
common benign liver tumors
2. Know the risk factors, diagnosis, and
management of hepatocellular
carcinoma
Classification
Hemangioma
Focal nodular
hyperplasia
Adenoma
Liver cysts
1. Primary liver
cancers
Hepatocellular
carcinoma
Fibrolamellar carcinoma
Hepatoblastoma
2. Metastases
Benign Malignant
Benign Liver Lesions
1. Hemangioma
2. Focal nodular hyperplasia
3. Adenoma
4. Cysts
Hemangioma
Clinical Features
The commonest liver tumor
5% of autopsies
Usually single small
Well demarcated capsule
Usually asymptomatic
Hemangioma
Diagnosis and Management
Diagnosis
US: echogenic spot, well demarcated
CT: venous enhancement from periphery to
center
MRI: high intensity area
No need for FNA
Treatment
No need for treatment
CT/Hemangioma
Focal Nodular Hyperplasia (FNH)
Clinical Features
Benign nodule formation of normal liver
tissue
Central stellate scar
More common in young and middle age
women
No relation with sex hormones
Usually asymptomatic
May cause minimal pain
Focal Nodular Hyperplasia (FNH)
Diagnosis and Management
Diagnosis:
US: Nodule with varying echogenicity
CT: Hypervascular mass with central scar
MRI: iso or hypo intense
FNA: Normal hepatocytes and Kupffer cells with
central core.
Treatment:
No treatment necessary
Pregnancy and hormones OK
CT/FNH
Hepatic Adenoma
Clinical features
Benign neoplasm composed of normal
hepatocytes no portal tract, central veins,
or bile ducts
More common in women
Associated with contraceptive hormones
Usually asymptomatic but may have RUQ
pain
Mat presents with rupture, hemorrhage, or
malignant transformation (very rare)
Hepatic Adenoma
Diagnosis and Management
DX
US: filling defect
CT: Diffuse arterial enhancement
MRI: hypo or hyper intense lesion
FNA : may be needed
Tx
Stop hormones
Observe every 6m for 2 y
If no regression then surgical excision
Adenoma
Liver Cysts
May be single or multiple
May be part of polycystic kidney disease
Patients often asymptomatic
No specific management required
Hydated cyst
Malignant Liver Lesions
Malignant Liver Tumors
1. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
2. Fibro-lamellar carcinoma of the liver
3. Hepatoblastoma
4. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
5. Others
HCC: Incidence
The most common primary liver cancer
The most common tumor in Saudi men
Increasing in US and all the world
HCC: Risk Factors
The most important risk factor is cirrhosis
from any cause:
1. Hepatitis B (integrates in DNA)
2. Hepatitis C
3. Alcohol
4. Aflatoxin
5. Other
HCC: Clinical Features
Wt loss and RUQ pain (most common)
Asymptomatic
Worsening of pre-existing chronic liver dis
Acute liver failure
O/E:
Signs of cirrhosis
Hard enlarged RUQ mass
Liver bruit (rare)
HCC: Metastases
Rest of the liver
Portal vein
Lymph nodes
Lung
Bone
Brain
HCC: Systemic Features
Hypercalcemia
Hypoglycemia
Hyperlipidemia
Hyperthyroidism
HCC: labs
Labs of liver cirrhosis
AFP (Alfa feto protein)
Is an HCC tumor marker
Values more than 100ng/ml are highly
suggestive of HCC
Elevation seen in more than 70% of pt
HCC: Diagnosis
Clinical presentation
Elevated AFP
US
Triphasic CT scan: very early arterial
perfusion
MRI
Biopsy
US: HCC
CT: Venous Phase
CT: Arterial Phase
HCC: Prognosis
Tumor size
Extrahepatic spread
Underlying liver disease
Pt performance status
HCC: Liver
Transplantation
Best available treatment
Removes tumor and liver
Only if single tumor less than 5cm or less
than 3 tumors less than 3 cm each
Recurrence rate is low
Not widely available
HCC: Resection
Feasible for small tumors with preserved
liver function (no jaundice or portal HTN)
Recurrence rate is high
HCC: Local Ablation
For non resectable pt
For pt with advanced liver cirrhosis
Alcohol injection
Radiofrequency ablation
Temporary measure only
Radio Frequency Ablation
Ethanol Injection
HCC: Chemoembolization
Inject chemotherapy selectively in hepatic
artery
Then inject an embolic agent
Only in pt with early cirrhosis
No role for systemic chemotherapy
Chemoembolization
Fibro-Lamellar Carcinoma
Presents in young pt (5-35)
Not related to cirrhosis
AFP is normal
CT shows typical stellate scar with radial
septa showing persistant enhancement
Secondary Liver
Metastases
The most common site for blood born
metastases
Common primaries : colon, breast, lung,
stomach, pancreases, and melanoma
Mild cholestatic picture (ALP, LDH) with
preserved liver function
Dx imaging or FNA
Treatment depends on the primary cancer
In some cases resection or chemoembolization
is possible
Summary
Hemangioma
Focal nodular
hyperplasia
Adenoma
Liver cysts
1. Primary liver
cancers
Hepatocellular
carcinoma
Fibrolamellar carcinoma
Hepatoblastoma
2. Metastases
Benign Malignant
