Benign liver tumors

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Oncology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Benign liver tumors are uncommon, primarily affecting young women.
• Hepatic hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia are typically incidental findings.
• Hepatocellular adenomas (HCA) are estrogen-dependent tumors with distinct molecular subtypes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline diagnostic and management strategies for benign liver tumors.
• To differentiate between benign liver lesions requiring no intervention and those needing active management.
• To highlight the importance of molecular subtyping and risk stratification for hepatocellular adenomas.

Main Methods:

• Review of diagnostic imaging, primarily MRI with contrast agents.
• Discussion of indications for liver biopsy in ambiguous cases.
• Emphasis on histological analysis for hepatocellular adenoma diagnosis and therapeutic guidance.

Main Results:

• Hepatic hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia often require no treatment or follow-up.
• MRI is crucial for diagnosing benign liver tumors, but biopsy may be needed.
• Hepatocellular adenomas necessitate stopping estrogen, and surgical resection is advised for males, large tumors (>5 cm), or those with beta-catenin mutations.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of benign liver tumors is essential for appropriate clinical management.
• Hepatic hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia generally have a benign clinical course.
• Hepatocellular adenomas require a multidisciplinary approach, risk stratification, and often intervention due to malignant transformation potential.