Hepatoblastoma in an adult A case report and clinical review of literatures.

In this paper, our aim is to report a very rare case of adult hepatoblastoma (HB) and to discover clues of diagnosis and adequate treatment by surveying collected English literatures. Our patient was a 20-year-old lady suffering from nausea and appetite loss. The main tumor measuring 18cm was located in the anterior and medial segments. Other tumors were also present in the left lobe. The tumors had cystic areas and hypervascularity. The chemotherapy based on the diagnosis of HCC by needle biopsy had failed. The tumors were resected together with the diaphragm and diagnosed as adult HB of epithelial type. The patient succumbed to cancer 3 months later. We have collected 25 cases of adult HB and discussed clinical features. Diagnostic findings are as follows: single huge tumor, located in the right lobe, having cystic change, calcification (mixed type) and hypervascularity. Preoperative needle cytology or biopsy failed to diagnose all but one case. All living cases were resected without preoperative chemotherapy. No response to chemotherapy was observed in any case. If a tumor has the above clinical features, we have concluded that an excision of the tumor should be considered, without preoperative chemotherapy and tumor puncture.