Hepatoblastoma in a Child of Extremely Low Birth Weight

Tang-Her Jaing; Iou-Jih Hung; Jer-Nan Lin; Rey-In Lien; Chuen Hsueh; Chia-Shun Lu

doi:10.1055/s-2002-25309

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2002; 19(3): 149-154
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-25309

Hepatoblastoma in a Child of Extremely Low Birth Weight

Tang-Her Jaing¹ , Iou-Jih Hung¹ , Jer-Nan Lin² , Rey-In Lien³ , Chuen Hsueh⁴ , Chia-Shun Lu⁵

¹Division of Hematology/Oncology, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
²Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; ;3Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
⁴Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
⁵Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Hepatoblastoma is a rare childhood embryonal malignancy. Recent reports suggested a linkage between premature birth and later development of hepatoblastoma. In August 2000, we encountered a 24-month-old boy with extremely low birth weight who developed hepatoblastoma with an unfavorable histology. His birth weight was only 584 g. Radiological evaluation of the liver revealed a hypoattenuated tumor occupying the left lobe. His initial serum alpha-fetoprotein level was 4032 ng/mL. The patient underwent successful left hepatectomy. The histological examination showed that the tumor, weighing 210 g, was a hepatoblastoma of epithelial type in two different patterns. One was composed purely of fetal type of tumor cells, whereas another was made up of embryonal type of cells in a macrotrabecular pattern. Four courses of adjuvant chemotherapy were given after surgery and were well tolerated. The patient remained in clinical remission 18 months after diagnosis

KEYWORD

Hepatoblastoma - macrotrabecular pattern - extremely low birth weight

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References

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