Summary: Malignant liver tumors account 0,5% to 2% of childhood malignancies, mainly consist of hepatoblastoma (HB). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare, its prognosis is much worse. In period 1987 to 1998 ten children with HCC were treated at our institution. The average duration of symptoms was 152 days (7 days 2 years), no child has the history of infection hepatitis. Five children had involved liver only, 4 children had metastases (retroperitoneal lymph nodes, omentum, diaphragma, lungs). Primary tumor resection was performed in 6 children, 3 were total, 3 subtotal. Biopsy was performed in 4 children. Treatment protocols were used according to the development of chemotherapeutic regimen (vincristin, cisplatin, fluorouracil, adriamycin, SIOPEL-2, -3). After biopsy four children were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, three of them had disease progression. Remaining forth child underwent right lobectomy and thoracotomy for pulmonary metastases. Relapse or disease progression occurred in the period of median 12 months (8,2 mths, 6,5 years). All children with progression or relapse died of the disease in med. 21.4 months (11,5 mths, 11,7 yrs). Three children are alive in complete remission 3, 3,6 and 4 yrs after completion of the treatment.
Hepatocellular carcinoma in children
