[Hepatic angiomyolipoma in two patients infected with hepatitis C virus]

The aim of this study is to present our experience with two cases of hepatic angiomyolioma in hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive patients, and to up-date the clinical manage, diagnostic and treatment of this entity.

Both cases were presented in women in their 4-5th decade of life. Clinical presentation was with symptoms in one but incidental in the other. Both were HCV positive. Values of alpha-fetoprotein were normal. Radiological imaging was not diagnostic. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemical findings gave the diagnosis of angiomyolipoma. At time of diagnosis the size of tumours was 4.8 and 8 cm of diameter. Both cases were treated with surgery in order to definetly rule out malignancy. After 6 and 3 years of follow-up, there is no evidence of recurrence.

The hepatic angiomyolipoma is a rare benign tumour, mimicking other liver tumours. Although no patognomonic features, there are some radiological findings that point out to the diagnosis of angiomy olipoma. Nevertheless, definitive diagnosis is done by his tological and immunohistochemical findings (HMB-45). The hepatic angiomyolipoma consists of varing proportion of three elements, mature fat cells, smooth muscle cells and blood vessels. Although it is a benign tumour, the difficulty in ruling out malignancy, prompted surgical management. It is not described its relation with HCV virus, thus we consider our cases as an coincident finding.