Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The aim of this study was to enhance our understanding of the pathways of lymphatic spread of primary carcinomas in the upper abdomen by recognizing the development, configuration, and frequency of nodal enlargement in discrete anatomic regions. The study included 417 patients with histologically confirmed carcinomas (CC) of the stomach (n = 267), liver (n = 98), gallbladder (n = 25), and bile ducts (n = 27). All patients were studied by high-resolution CT and tumor extension to the lymph nodes of the subperitoneal space was clearly identified in 59 patients [33 with CC of the stomach, 8 with CC of the gallbladder, 3 with CC of the bile ducts, and 15 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)]. In 47 of 59 patients this extension was confirmed by surgery or aspiration biopsy. Three discrete anatomic groups of lymph nodes were recognized producing a relatively distinct CT configuration when involved: (a) the hepatoduodenal seen in 49 patients; (b) the peripancreatic demonstrated in 33 patients; and (c) the aortocaval recognized in 16 patients. These groups of lymph nodes can be seen individually involved or in combination. Recognition of involvement of these nodes is important for correct diagnosis and staging of upper abdominal malignancies. The development of this involvement follows the natural flow of lymph via the lesser omentum to the retroperitoneal space.
 ...
PMID:Pathways of lymph node involvement in upper abdominal malignancies: evaluation with high-resolution CT. 1036 81

The frequency of lymph node (LN) metastasis in patients undergoing surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has rarely been studied. We evaluated the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of six patients with nodal metastases from HCC among a total of 504 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC in our department over a 16-year period. The nodal metastases were diagnosed preoperatively in two patients. The average diameter of the resected tumors was 7.8 cm and all were confirmed as poorly differentiated HCC. All of the six patients had intrahepatic metastatic nodules and five also had portal vein invasion. One patient underwent limited resection, and the other five underwent bisegmentectomy. All of the regional LNs were removed in one patient, while only enlarged LNs were removed in the other five. One patient died of postoperative liver failure and the others all died later of intrahepatic or nodal recurrence. Our findings suggest that the prognosis of patients with nodal metastasis from HCC is generally poor, even if hepatic resection with regional LN dissection is performed.
 ...
PMID:The clinical significance of lymph node metastases in patients undergoing surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma. 1105 28

A 62-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C was found to have a hepatic tumor by ultrasonography. Computed tomography of the liver disclosed a tumor 4 cm in diameter occupying the posterior segment and associated with a portal tumor thrombus and enlargement of hilar and paraaortic lymph nodes. At laparotomy multiple nodal metastases were seen involving hilar, hepatoduodenal, common hepatic arterial, and paraaortic nodes. We performed right hepatic lobectomy and systematic lymph node dissection. Histologic examination of both the main tumor and nodal metastases showed poorly-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. Severe postoperative ascites persisted for 1 month. Fifteen months after surgery the patient died of multiple intrahepatic and systemic nodal recurrences. Our experience confirms that surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with nodal metastases is likely to benefit only a few carefully selected patients, since the prognosis is commonly poor and hepatectomy with lymph node dissection carries the risk of severe complications.
 ...
PMID:A surgically treated case of hepatocellular carcinoma with extensive lymph node metastases. 1114 39

Imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is complicated because the tumor has a varied radiologic appearance and frequently coexists with cirrhotic regenerative and dysplastic nodules. In cirrhotic patients, any dominant solid nodule that is not clearly a hemangioma should be considered a HCC until proven otherwise, especially if the lesion is hypervascular, of high T2 signal intensity, or demonstrates venous invasion. Biopsy of HCC in cirrhosis is risky and surveillance is often preferable. The doubling time of HCC is 1 to 12 months, and a nodule that is stable over 4 months is very unlikely to be a HCC. However, stable nodules cannot be dismissed, since livers containing dysplastic nodules are at high risk to develop HCC. In noncirrhotic patients, any solid mass that is not clearly a hemangioma or focal nodular hyperplasia is potentially a HCC, and biopsy may be required. Venous invasion by tumor should be distinguished from bland thrombus. Imaging detection of nodal metastases is limited by the frequent finding of benign reactive lymphadenopathy in cirrhosis. Resection is the preferred treatment for HCC, but is contraindicated in the presence of tumors in both lobes, major venous invasion, invasion of adjacent organs other than the gallbladder, tumor rupture, nodal metastases, or distant metastases.
 ...
PMID:Imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma: a practical approach. 1168 39

Although computed tomography (CT) is used primarily for diagnosis in humans, it can also be used to diagnose disease in veterinary patients. CT and associated three-dimensional reconstruction have a role in diagnosis of a range of illnesses in a variety of animals. In a sea turtle with failure to thrive, CT showed a nodal mass in the chest, granulomas in the lungs, and a ball in the stomach. CT of a sea dragon with balance and movement problems showed absence of the swim bladder. In a sloth with failure to thrive, CT allowed diagnosis of a coin in the intestine. CT of a puffin with failure to thrive showed a mass in the chest, which was found to be a hematoma. In a smooth-sided toad whose head was tilted to one side and who was circling in that direction, CT showed partial destruction of the temporal bone. CT of a domestic cat with listlessness showed a mass with focal calcification, which proved to be a leiomyosarcoma. CT of a sea otter showed pectus excavatum, which is caused by the animal smashing oysters against its chest. In a Japanese koi with abdominal swelling, CT allowed diagnosis of a hepatoma.
 ...
PMID:Modern CT applications in veterinary medicine. 1179 98

The prognosis of patients with HCC still remains dismal. The life expectancy of HCC patients is hard to predict because of the high possibility of postoperative recurrence. Many factors, such as patient's general conditions, macroscopic tumor morphology, as well as tumor histopathology features, have been proven of prognostic significance. Female HCC patient often has a better prognosis than male patient, which might be due to the receptor of sex hormones. Younger patients often have tumors with higher invasiveness and metastatic potentials, and their survival and prognosis are worse than the older ones. Co-existing hepatitis status and hepatic functional reserve have been confirmed as risk factors for recurrence. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is useful not only for diagnosis, but also as a prognostic indicator for HCC patients. AFP mRNA has been proposed as a predictive marker of HCC cells disseminated into the circulation and for metastatic recurrence. Many pathologic features, such as tumor size, number, capsule state, cell differentiation, venous invasion, intrahepatic spreading, and advanced pTNM stage, are the best-established risk factors for recurrence and important aspects affecting the prognosis of patients with HCC. Marked inflammatory cell infiltration in the tumor could predict a better prognosis. Clinical stage is still the most important factor influencing on the prognosis. Extratumor spreading and lymph nodal metastasis are independent predictors for poor outcome. Some new predictive systems have recently been proposed. Different strategies of treatment might have significant different effects on the patients' prognosis. To date, surgical resection is still the only potentially curative treatment for HCC, including localized postoperative recurrences. Extent of resection, blood transfusion, occlusion of porta hepatis, and blood loss affect the survival and prognosis of HCC patients. Regional therapies provide alternative ways to improve the prognosis of HCC patients who have no opportunity to receive surgical treatment or postoperative recurrence. The combination of these treatment modalities is hopeful to further improve the prognosis. The efficacies of neoadjuvant (preoperative) or adjuvant (postoperative) chemotherapy or chemoembolization in preventing recurrence and on the HCC prognosis still remain great controversy, and deserve further evaluation. Biotherapy, including IFN-alpha therapy, will play more important role in preventing recurrence and metastasis of HCC after operation.
 ...
PMID:The prognostic significance of clinical and pathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma. 1192 90

Using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, CYFRA 21-1 concentrations were measured in sera from 187 patients with primary liver cancer (164 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 23 with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC)) and 87 patients with benign liver diseases. Concentrations of CYFRA 21-1 were significantly higher in patients with ICC (5.0; interquartile range 3.1-10.7 ng ml(-1)) than in those with benign liver disease (1.4; 1.0-1.9; Mann-Whitney U-test, P<0.0001) or HCC (1.7; 1.1-2.7; Mann-Whitney U-test, P<0.0001). Using cutoff values selected for 95% specificity in the benign group (3.0 ng ml(-1)), CYFRA 21-1 showed higher sensitivity for ICC (87.0%) than three commonly used markers including alpha-fetoprotein (17.4%), carcinoembryonic antigen (34.8%), and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (60.9%). Serum CYFRA 21-1 increased in ICC from stages I/II to IV (Kruskal-Wallis test, P=0.0102). CYFRA 21-1 concentration increased with extent of local invasion, but not nodal status. Serum CYFRA 21-1 represents a useful diagnostic test for ICC that offers high sensitivity. CYFRA 21-1 reflected differences in tumour burden, suggesting applicability to staging and follow-up.
 ...
PMID:Cytokeratin-19 fragments in serum (CYFRA 21-1) as a marker in primary liver cancer. 1279 33

Primary liver lymphoma is a very rare disease and is frequently overlooked as a possible diagnosis. We report the case of an asymptomatic middle-aged man with chronic hepatitis C who developed primary liver lymphoma (PLL). A large solitary tumor in the left lobe of the liver was incidentally detected on routine ultrasound examination. Imaging studies showed mixed iso- and hypoechogenicity with hypoechoic rim, hypodense in the pre-contrast phase and thick wall enhancement in the post-contrast phase on computed tomographic study, hypointensity on T1WI, and hyperintensity of the central portion and slightly higher intensity in the peripheral wall on T2WI. These pictures were different from focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma or metastases. Atypical hepatectomy was performed and the pathology of the hepatic tumor revealed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Systemic staging revealed no evidence of nodal or bone marrow involvement, so PLL was diagnosed. There was no tumor recurrence more than 4 years after operation and chemotherapy. PLL should be included in the differential diagnosis of solitary hepatic tumor in patients who are hepatitis C virus-positive, and who have atypical imaging and no known malignancy or elevated tumor marker levels.
 ...
PMID:Primary liver lymphoma in a patient with chronic hepatitis C. 1652 Aug 42

Hepatic fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is an uncommon tumour that differs from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in demographics, condition of the affected liver, tumour markers, and prognosis. FLC characteristically manifests as a large hepatic mass in adolescents or young adults with female predominance (mean age 23 years). Cirrhosis, elevated alpha-fetoprotein levels, and risk factors for HCC such as viral hepatitis are typically absent. FLC is usually associated with serum tumour markers such as vitamin B12 binding protein, and neurotensin. FLC is characterized pathologically by cords of tumour cells surrounded by abundant collagenous fibrous tissue arranged in a parallel or lamellar distribution. FLC usually appears on radiologic images as a lobulated heterogeneous mass with a central scar in an otherwise normal liver. The clinical presentation of patients with FLC is variable. These patients commonly have pain, and palpable right upper quadrant abdominal mass. An uncommon presenting sign is gynaecomastia in men. Use of percutaneous biopsy (FNAB) is beneficial if there is diagnostic uncertainty about the radiologic diagnosis (US, CT MRI). Although FLC is frequently recurrent, patients have a better prognosis than those with HCC, and aggressive surgical liver resection with extended lymphadenectomy or liver transplantation may be indicated. The presence of advanced-stage disease, direct invasion of adjacent organs, lymphadenopathy, or limited metastasis does not preclude attempts at curative resection. In inoperable cases, the patient may benefit from chemotherapy, permitting in up to 50% of these cases a curative resection. The case is reported of a 18-year-old man with bilateral gynecomastia secondary to an unknown hepatic fibrolamellar carcinoma producing oestrogens. Serum alpha-fetoprotein was negative; des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) level was elevated. CT scan and MRI showed a solid hepatic tumour (theta 10 cm) without evidence of extrahepatic spreading. By a needle biopsy a fibrolamellar carcinoma was diagnosed. On March 1995 a right hemihepatectomy was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient recovered. Specimen's histologic examination confirmed the preoperative diagnosis. Intracellular (hepatocytes) oestrogens were found, but oestrogen and androgen receptors were negative. After surgery DCP and oestradiol levels rapidly decreased and gynaecomastia disappeared. A follow-up program was established. On April 2000 a probable recurrence within the caudate lobe was discovered by a liver CT scan without evidence of extrahepatic spreading. Tumour markers, FNAB, and bone scintigraphy were negative. On July 2000 the patient underwent second look laparotomy. Only a coeliac lymphadenopathy was found and a lymphadenectomy performed. Specimen's histologic examination showed a metastatic lymph nodal disease (FLC). The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient recovered. He is currently alive without evidence of recurrence 5 years after the second operation.
 ...
PMID:[Surgical therapy of hepatic fibrolamellar carcinoma]. 1751 32

Computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as conventional imaging modalities, are the preferred methodology for tumor, nodal and systemic metastasis (TNM) staging. However, all the noninvasive techniques in current use are not sufficiently able to identify primary tumors and even unable to define the extent of metastatic spread. In addition, relying exclusively on macromorphological characteristics to make a conclusion runs the risk of misdiagnosis due mainly to the intrinsic limitations of the imaging modalities themselves. Solely based on the macromorphological characteristics of cancer, one cannot give an appropriate assessment of the biological characteristics of tumors. Currently, positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) are more and more widely available and their application with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) in oncology has become one of the standard imaging modalities in diagnosing and staging of tumors, and monitoring the therapeutic efficacy in hepatic malignancies. Recently, investigators have measured glucose utilization in liver tumors using (18)F-FDG, PET and PET/CT in order to establish diagnosis of tumors, assess their biologic characteristics and predict therapeutic effects on hepatic malignancies. PET/CT with (18)F-FDG as a radiotracer may further enhance the hepatic malignancy diagnostic algorithm by accurate diagnosis, staging, restaging and evaluating its biological characteristics, which can benefit the patients suffering from hepatic metastases, hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.
 ...
PMID:Positron emission tomography/computer tomography: challenge to conventional imaging modalities in evaluating primary and metastatic liver malignancies. 1756 11


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >>