J. Kaczynski et al., INCIDENCE OF PRIMARY LIVER-CANCER AND ETIOLOGIC ASPECTS - A STUDY OF A DEFINED POPULATION FROM A LOW-ENDEMICITY AREA, British Journal of Cancer, 73(1), 1996, pp. 128-132
The prevalence of primary liver cancer (PLC) varies throughout the wor
ld. It has been attributed to variations in incidence of the predomina
nt histological type, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence of
PLC types other than HCC such as cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) is
Tar less known, especially in low-incidence areas. The aetiology of H
CC and other PLC types is obscure, with the exception of the associati
on between HCC and cirrhosis as well as chronic viral hepatitis. The p
resent retrospective incidence and aetiology study concerns a well-def
ined population from a period with a high autopsy frequency. preserved
biopsy specimens were re-evaluated histopathologically and patient re
cords were studied. Among 590 histologically verified cases of PLCI HC
C constituted 90%. CCC 8% and a mixed form of these types 1%. At the e
nd of the study period the annual age-standardised incidence rate of H
CC was 3.6 cases per 100000 inhabitants, Other PLC types were hepatobl
astoma (n = 3). fibrolamellar carcinoma (n = 2), angiosarcoma (n = 1)
and infantile haemangioendothelioma (n = 1). each constituting less th
an 1% of the PLC cases. Comparing HCC with CCC we found that cirrhosis
(70%) and alcoholism (21%) was significantly more frequent in HCC, an
d choielithiasis was significantly more common (60%) in patients with
CCC. In the majority of the PLC cases with liver cirrhosis this disord
er was unknown before diagnosis of the tumour.