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Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Generation of Subcutaneous and Intrahepatic Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Xenografts in Immunodeficient Mice
Published on: September 25, 2013
[Hepatocellular carcinoma in youth: a comparative analysis with hepatocarcinoma in adults]
Eduardo Hernández-Castillo1, Ricardo Mondragón-Sánchez, Ana Lilia Garduño-López
1Departamento de Gastroenterología, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), México, D.F.
Introduction:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very rare disease among young individuals. Epidemiological, clinical, and histopathological features of this malignancy in youth have not been thoroughly studied.
Patients And Methods:
A review of clinical files of patients with HCC < 40 years of age treated between May 1990 and July 2002 was performed.
Results:
Seventeen patients were included for analysis, nine were female and eight, male. Mean age at diagnosis was 24 years (range 12-39 years). Abdominal pain was the main symptom, followed by vomiting and nausea. Enlargement of liver was observed in 11 patients (65%). In seven patients (41%), etiologic factor was not found. Five of these cases were of fibrolamellar variant (29%). Only four patients were resected (23%) two of whom belonged to fibrolamellar type. Three patients (18%) are still alive after 64.9 months of follow-up.
Conclusion:
HCC is a very uncommon disease in youth and affects similarly both genders. It is discovered at advanced stage. Hepatitis B and C are uncommon etiologic factors. Frequency of fibrolamellar carcinoma is higher in this age group. Although resection is more feasible, overall survival rates remain low.
