A childhood fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma with increased aromatase activity and a near triploid karyotype

Med Pediatr Oncol. 1997 Feb;28(2):136-8. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1096-911x(199702)28:2<136::aid-mpo8>3.0.co;2-l.

Abstract

We report a 15-year-old boy with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of the fibrolamellar type. He presented with advanced disease and a non-resectable tumor. Clinical features included marked gynecomastia which had been present for 3 years, failure to enter puberty, and failure to thrive. These features might have been due to a high aromatase activity of the tumor. The course of the illness suggested that the tumor had been present for at least 3 years prior to diagnosis. At diagnosis the patient had multiple metastases which included infiltrated ascites. Cytogenetic analysis of the ascites revealed a near triploid karyotype with cell-to-cell variation and an abnormality of chromosome 1 q. This to our knowledge is the first karyotype report of fibrolamellar HCC in a child.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Aromatase / metabolism*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / enzymology*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Humans
  • Karyotyping
  • Liver Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Polyploidy*

Substances

  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Aromatase