[Primary malignant tumor of the liver in children]

Primary malignant tumours of the liver in children are rare. They occur in more than 50% of cases before the age of 2 years. The clinical signs are very often limited to a large mass in the right hypochrondrium. A search for alphafoetoprotein and arteriography are the most useful investigations for diagnosis. The pathology leads one to distinguish hepatoblastomas and hepatocarcinomas. The prognosis in these tumours remains poor for, in spite of progress in liver surgery, a cure is rarely possible. It is important for doctors to recognize the existence of this tumour pathology in order to give a chance for surgery to succeed in these young children. To illustrate this, 5 cases from Besançon are reported here.