Primary benign solid tumors of the liver.

The benign solid primary tumors of the liver separate into three major groups: (1) the most common lesions--small, nodular tumors, often found incidentally with histologic features suggesting a reactive etiology, that never rupture or metastasize, that seem to grow most rapidly in children and pregnant women, and that are probably unrelated to birth control medication; (2) the less common adenomas that are purely epithelial, that most often occur in menstruating females, that often show necrosis and rupture, and that are closely associated with oral contraceptive agents; and (3) very rare tumors, usually mesenchymal, occurring solely in children. The therapeutic and prognostic implications of these tumors are defined based upon a study of 111 patients, all but one of whom have undergone resection.