Hepatoblastoma
What is it?
Hepatoblastoma is a cancer of the liver that most commonly occurs in
infants.
Who gets it?
Hepatoblastoma is one of the more common cancers in infants, but can also occur in older children. Most cases of hepatoblastoma appear before the age of three, and are more common in males than
females.
What causes it?
Factors that increase a person's risk of developing liver cancer include exposure to cancer-causing substances and chronic hepatitis B or C infections. Infants with hepatoblastoma may have been exposed to any of these factors before or during
birth.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of hepatoblastoma in an infant or young child are a bulge in the upper right part of the abdomen and general failing health. The child may have a yellowish tinge to his or her skin, called jaundice. In older children, the tumor releases hormones called gonadotropins that result in early signs of puberty, such as development of the sexual
organs.
How is it diagnosed?
To diagnose hepatoblastoma , your doctor will perform a thorough physical examination and order imaging studies, such as an abdominal ultrasound, abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. He or she will also order a CT scan of the chest, as well as a bone scan, to check whether the cancer has spread, or metastasized, to other areas of the body. Blood tests usually reveal high levels of alpha-fetoprotein, which is a substance produced in the liver. Blood tests may also reveal low levels of red blood cells, which indicates anemia. A definite diagnosis is made after a small sample of liver tissue is removed, called a liver biopsy. Using ultrasound or CT as a guide, the doctor will insert a long, thin needle into the tumor to remove a sample for examination under a microscope. The biopsy can be done under local or general anesthesia so your child will not feel any discomfort during the
procedure.
What is the treatment?
Hepatoblastoma is treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy to remove as much of the tumor as possible and kill the cancer cells. Chemotherapy involves doses of very strong medicine that are often given first to control the growth of the tumor by killing the cancer cells. Then, the tumor is surgically removed. Follow-up chemotherapy helps ensure any remaining cancer cells are destroyed. Children with tumors that can be completely removed, called resection, have the best chances of survival . The hepatoblastoma survival rate if the tumor is completely removed is
90%.
Self-care tips
Take your child to a doctor if you notice any swelling in the abdominal area, whether or not it appears painful or tender. Also make sure your child receives all the recommended childhood immunizations, especially the HBV vaccine.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
|
