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Lemekhova A, Hornuss D, Polychronidis G, Mayer P, Rupp C, Longerich T, Weiss KH, Büchler M, Mehrabi A, Hoffmann K. Clinical features and surgical outcomes of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma: retrospective analysis of a single-center experience. World J Surg Oncol 2020; 18:93. [PMID: 32397993 PMCID: PMC7218513 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-020-01855-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of patients with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) are underreported. The aim of this study is to describe clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes for patients with this rare tumor to raise awareness among clinicians and surgeons. Methods Retrospective review of records of a tertiary referral center and specialized liver unit was performed. Out of 3623 patients who underwent liver resection, 366 patients received surgical treatment for HCC; of them, eight (2.2%) had FL-HCC and were resected between October 2001 and December 2018. Results Eight patients (3 males and 5 females) with FL-HCC (median age 26 years) underwent primary surgical treatment. All patients presented with unspecific symptoms or were diagnosed as incidental finding. No patient had cirrhosis or other underlying liver diseases. Coincidentally, three patients (37.5%) had a thromboembolic event prior to admission. The majority of patients had BCLC stage C and UICC stage IIIB/IVA; four patients (50%) presented with lymph node metastases. The median follow-up period was 33.5 months. The 1-year survival was 71.4%, and 3-year survival was 57.1%. Median survival was at 36.4 months. Five patients (62.5%) developed recurrent disease after a median disease-free survival of 9 months. Two patients (25.0%) received re-resection. Conclusion FL-HCC is a rare differential diagnosis of liver masses in young patients. Since the prognosis is limited, patients with incidental liver tumors or lesions with suspicious features in an otherwise healthy liver should be presented at a specialized hepatobiliary unit. Thromboembolism might be an early paraneoplastic symptom and needs to be elucidated further in the context of FL-HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Lemekhova
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Hornuss
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Georgios Polychronidis
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Rupp
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Longerich
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Weiss
- Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Büchler
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arianeb Mehrabi
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Hoffmann
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht Karls University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Liver Cancer Centre Heidelberg (LCCH), Heidelberg, Germany.
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Polavarapu AD, Ahmed M, Samaha G, Weerasinghe CK, Deeb L, Sokoloff A. Spontaneous Rupture of Fibrolamellar Variant Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gastroenterology Res 2019; 12:166-170. [PMID: 31236158 PMCID: PMC6575133 DOI: 10.14740/gr1148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) is a unique variant of hepatocellular carcinoma. The majority of cases present with nonspecific symptoms like vague abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue. Ruptured FL-HCC occurs rarely and mortality in the acute phase is very high. We report a rare case of a ruptured FL-HCC successfully managed with transarterial embolization for hemostasis. A 37-year-old male previously in good health presented with a severe, sharp epigastric pain that started 1 h prior to the presentation. He denied trauma, fever, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Tenderness in the epigastrium was noted, with no palpable masses, guarding or rigidity. His blood pressure and pulse were 159/105 mm Hg and 105 beats/min. Platelets and coagulation parameters were within normal limits; transaminases were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan with contrast revealed an 8 cm lobulated mass with central hypodensity in the left hepatic lobe with perilesional blood and free pelvic fluid, indicating tumor rupture. CT angiography showed tumor neovascularization from a branch of the left hepatic artery which was embolized using transarterial gelfoam. Liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biopsy were consistent with fibrolamellar variant hepatocellular carcinoma. After 4 days, as the symptoms resolved, and the lab results were stable, patient was discharged and underwent a left hepatectomy 3 weeks later. FL-HCC occurs commonly in the left lobe of a young and non-cirrhotic liver. Typically, cross sectional imaging reveals a lobulated mass with well-defined margins, areas of hypervascularity and a central calcified scar. Histologic appearance is characterized by eosinophilic polygonal shaped cells separated by lamellar fibrosis. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice with better outcome when compared to conventional HCC. Disease recurrence after complete surgical resection is however high in the first 5 years. Tumors > 5 cm in size are at high risk for rupture with high mortality and recurrence rates secondary to significant spillage of tumor. While an emergency hepatectomy is preferred in unstable patients, those that are hemodynamically stable can undergo radiologic transarterial embolization for hemostasis followed by staged hepatectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ghassan Samaha
- Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | | | - Liliane Deeb
- Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Alisa Sokoloff
- Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY, USA
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