Hepatocellular carcinoma in children

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dc.contributor.authorMoore S.W.
dc.contributor.authorHesseling P.B.
dc.contributor.authorWessels G.
dc.contributor.authorSchneider J.W.
dc.date.accessioned2011-05-15T16:03:46Z
dc.date.available2011-05-15T16:03:46Z
dc.date.issued1997
dc.description.abstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs more frequently in subsaharan Africa and the Orient than in other geographical regions, but remains an uncommon tumour of childhood. We review six children with HCC (mean age 13 years) treated by the paediatric oncology unit at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town over an 8-year period (1983-1990). Patients presented with epigastric and right upper quadrant discomfort and hepatomegaly. The hepatitis B serum antigen (HbsAg) was positive in three patients; serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were markedly elevated in three (range 100-453,000 μg/l). Age and sex did not differ significantly and all patients initially had irresectable advanced-stage tumours. Morphologically, three were highly malignant adult-type pleomorphic HCCs, two were differentiated tumours, and one a fibrolamellar subtype. The mean 2-year survival was 33% and the 5-year survival 16.6%. The biological behaviour and response to treatment of the tumours varied. Whereas three patients had a poor response to therapy, two with poorly-differentiated tumours, negative HbsAg, and normal serum AFP levels responded to doxorubicin/cisplatinum chemotherapy. This facilitated radical surgical excision. One patient of this group has survived for more than 75 months following surgical resection and remains well. HCC remains an uncommon tumour of childhood with a high mortality. Aggressive chemotherapeutic regimes in combination with surgical resection may lead to improved survival in some cases. Prevention of hepatitis B remains a priority.
dc.description.versionArticle
dc.identifier.citationPediatric Surgery International
dc.identifier.citation12
dc.identifier.citation4
dc.identifier.issn1790358
dc.identifier.other10.1007/s003830050128
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/12777
dc.subjectalpha fetoprotein
dc.subjectantineoplastic agent
dc.subjectcisplatin
dc.subjectdoxorubicin
dc.subjecthepatitis b surface antigen
dc.subjectabdominal discomfort
dc.subjectadolescent
dc.subjectarticle
dc.subjectcancer survival
dc.subjectchild
dc.subjectclinical article
dc.subjectepigastric pain
dc.subjectfemale
dc.subjecthepatomegaly
dc.subjecthuman
dc.subjectliver cell carcinoma
dc.subjectmale
dc.subjectpediatric surgery
dc.subjectpriority journal
dc.subjectschool child
dc.subjectsouth africa
dc.subjectAdolescent
dc.subjectCarcinoma, Hepatocellular
dc.subjectChild
dc.subjectCombined Modality Therapy
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectHepatitis B Surface Antigens
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectLiver
dc.subjectLiver Neoplasms
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectPrognosis
dc.subjectSouth Africa
dc.titleHepatocellular carcinoma in children
dc.typeArticle
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