Liver
Benign tumors of the liver:
- Hemangioma: Asymptomatic, most common.
- Hepatocellular adenoma: 25% present with palpable mass, biopsias are needed to exclude malignancy.
- Focal nodular hyperplasia: Usually asymptomatic
- Infantile Hemangioendothelioma: Benign liver tumor of children
Primary Malignant tumors of the liver:
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hepatoma): Most common, associated with chronic Hepatitis B or C infection. Hepatic cirrhosis in 60 to 90% of patients.
- Hepatoblastoma: Most common primary malignant liver tumor in children.
- Cholangiocarcinoma: Tumor that arises from the bile duct epithelium. Presentation with abdominal pain in right upper quadrant, jaundice and sometimes palpable mass.
- Angiosarcoma: High association with chemical agents.
Metastatic tumors of the liver:
They are much more common than primary tumors. Two thirds of colorectal tumors involve liver. Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical resection.
Hepatic abscesses and cysts:
- Bacterial abscess: Treated with surgical drainage and antibiotics.
- Amebic abscess: Antibiotics (Metronidazole), abscess is usually aspirated.
- Hydatid cysts of the liver: Result from infection with the parasite Echinococcus granulosus. Dogs are definitive hosts and can infect man. Symptoms are abdominal pain, liver enlargement. Treatment is complete aspiration of cyst and then resection.
