J. Kaczynski et al., FIBROLAMELLAR HEPATIC CARCINOMA IN AN AREA WITH A LOW INCIDENCE OF PRIMARY LIVER-CANCER - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY, The European journal of surgery, 162(5), 1996, pp. 367-371
Objective: To assess the incidence and prognosis of fibrolamellar hepa
tic carcinoma in a defined population. Design: Retrospective study of
histological slides. Setting: University hospital, Sweden. Subjects: T
he 532 patients (out of a total of 711 who were treated at the univers
ity hospital during a 22 year period 1 January 1958-31 December 1979)
whose primary hepatocellular carcinoma was confirmed on review of the
histological slides. Main outcome measures: Incidence and prognosis of
fibrolamellar hepatic carcinoma. Results: Two patients (women aged 22
and 46) were found to have fibrolamellar tumours and in both they wer
e advanced and the patients died 2 weeks and 9 months, respectively, a
fter exploratory laparotomy. If these are taken as a proportion of the
18 patients who were under the age of 50 at the time of diagnosis the
n the incidence of the fibrolamellar type of hepatocellular carcinoma
is 11%. Since then (in 1993) we have come across one further case, a w
oman of 39 who was well 22 months after operation though she had metas
tatic disease. Conclusions: The fibrolamellar type of hepatocellular c
arcinoma is rare, and all three of our cases were young women (under t
he age of 50). It seems to have a slightly better prognosis than other
types of primary hepatic tumours.