[Androgenic therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma. Report of a case]

A 65 years old, female patient with acquired aplastic anemia secondary to frequent exposure to hair dye. While on treatment with anabolic steroids hormone became jaundiced and developed hepatomegaly eight months later. During laparotomy the liver was enlarged, hard, with multiple whitish nodules on its surgace but was otherwise normal. Liver biopsy showed hepatocellular carcinoma, there were not cirrhosis niether hemochromatosis. A review of the related literature was done and discussed on the experimental and clinical evidences that suggested that androgens may play same role on the etiology of liver cancer.