Hepatocellular carcinoma in the youth. A comparative analysis with hepatocellular carcinoma in adulthood.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very rare disease among young individuals. Epidemiological, clinical and histopathological features of this malignancy in the youth have not been thoroughly studied. METHODOLOGY: A review of the clinical files of patients with HCC younger than 40 years of age, who were treated between May 1990 and July 2002, was performed. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were included for analysis; nine were female and eight male. The mean age at diagnosis was 24 years (range 12-39 years). Abdominal pain was the main symptom, followed by vomiting and nausea. Enlargement of the liver was observed in 11 patients (65%). In seven patients (41%), an etiological factor was not found. Five of these cases were of the fibrolamellar variant (29%). Only four patients were resected (23%) two of which belonged to the fibrolamellar type. Three patients (18%) are still alive after 64.9 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: HCC is a very uncommon disease in the youth and affects similarly both genders. It is discovered at an advanced stage. Hepatitis B and C are uncommon etiological factors. The frequency of fibrolamellar carcinoma is higher in this age group. Though resection is more feasible, the overall survival rates remain low.