INCIDENCE OF PRIMARY LIVER-CANCER AND ETIOLOGIC ASPECTS - A STUDY OF A DEFINED POPULATION FROM A LOW-ENDEMICITY AREA

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.