Adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver

Two cases of adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver are presented. In one case, the carcinoma probably arose in the left hepatic duct, whereas in the other, it probably developed from a liver cyst. Only 10 other such tumors have been reported in the literature. Analysis of these cases indicates that the prognosis etiology of adenosquamous carcinoma may be similar to that of intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma. The prognosis for this tumor is very poor. Operation seems not to be an effective treatment, but radiation therapy may be of some use. Several terms, such as adenosquamous, adenoacanthoma, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, have been used for carcinomas containing both adenomatous and squamous elements. We discuss the etiology and the origin of this rare liver tumor and conclude that the term adenosquamous carcinoma is the most apt.