Role of chemoembolization as a rescue treatment for recurrence of resected hepatoblastoma in adult patients

Surg Innov. 2011 Jun;18(2):136-40. doi: 10.1177/1553350610393990. Epub 2011 Jan 19.

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver tumor in children, but it is extremely rare in adults.

Materials and methods: A 33-year-old man was admitted with nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and right upper quadrant pain. A preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed a nodular hepatic lesion infiltrating the lesser curvature of the stomach. A left hepatectomy and a subtotal gastrectomy were performed. The histological diagnosis was hepatoblastoma. A recurrence in the right lobe was seen.

Results: Three cycles of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) were performed 40, 70, and 130 days after surgery. No sign of recurrence was present at the time of the second chemoembolization.

Conclusion: The TACE was well tolerated by the patient and controlled the recurrence. The patient survived 11 months after recurrence of disease and died 1 year after the liver resection. The use of TACE to treat the hepatic recurrence was never described.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage*
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / methods*
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hepatectomy / methods
  • Hepatoblastoma / pathology
  • Hepatoblastoma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Laparotomy / methods
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / therapy*
  • Remission Induction
  • Risk Assessment
  • Second-Look Surgery
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Doxorubicin
  • Cisplatin