A study of therapy for pediatric hepatoblastoma: prevention and treatment of pulmonary metastasis

Eur J Pediatr Surg. 1999 Jun;9(3):142-5. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1072230.

Abstract

Our results of treatment for pediatric hepatoblastoma are presented with special emphasis on pulmonary metastasis. The pulmonary metastasis rate of hepatoblastoma was 44% (11/25). In 19 patients with resected hepatoblastomas, the 5-year survival rate without pulmonary metastasis was 90% (9/10); while with pulmonary metastasis it was 22% (2/9). Six patients with unresected hepatoblastomas all died within 4 months regardless of chemotherapy and/or metastasis. To improve survival in patients with hepatoblastoma, preoperative or postoperative chemotherapy was thought to be essential for tumors extending over 2 hepatic segments and having predictable factors for pulmonary metastasis (large size or histological evidence of capsular invasion). A long-term multidisciplinary approach including hepatic lobectomy, current multiagent chemotherapy (including CDDP, THP-ADR), and partial pulmonary resection for localized lung areas with metastases would ultimately be needed.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Hepatoblastoma / drug therapy
  • Hepatoblastoma / mortality
  • Hepatoblastoma / secondary*
  • Hepatoblastoma / surgery
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery
  • Male
  • Patient Care Team
  • Pneumonectomy
  • Survival Rate