[Primary liver tumors in childhood: an analysis of 19 cases]

Nineteen patients were operated on for primary liver tumors at our hospital from 1970 to March 1987. Among malignancies, hepatoblastomas and hepatocellular carcinomas were equally often seen (7 cases each), among benign tumors, there were 3 hemangioendotheliomas and 2 hemangiomas. In 6 of the 14 children with malignant tumors, only a biopsy could be performed due to primary inoperability, tumor excision was possible in 8 cases. Following chemo-embolisation, tumor excision could be carried out in a second-look operation in one case. Six patients with hepatoblastoma died within 6 months following diagnosis, 2 of them, however, succumbed to therapeutical side effects. Four of the seven patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were alive after a mean follow-up of 6.4 years (2-15 years).