PEComa-A Rare Liver Tumor.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pathology
• Hepatology

Background:

• Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are rare neoplasms.
• Management decisions for liver PEComas often rely on limited case series.
• Understanding clinicopathological features is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report clinicopathological features of liver PEComas.
• To provide management guidance based on a case series and literature review.
• To analyze treatment outcomes and histopathological characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 20 patients with surgically treated liver PEComas (2002-2020).
• Histopathological examination including immunohistochemistry for melanocytic and smooth muscle markers.
• Review of radiological findings and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• The study included 20 patients (85% female, age 21-73).
• Most PEComas were incidental findings, often showing high arterial vascularization on imaging.
• Epithelioid cells with varying spindle cells, thick-walled vessels, and adipocytes were characteristic; all tumors expressed melanocytic and smooth muscle markers. Three cases showed malignancy features.
• Liver resection was the primary treatment with one postoperative complication.

Conclusions:

• PEComa is a rare, often incidentally diagnosed, liver tumor.
• High arterial vascularization is a common radiological finding.
• Liver resection is the treatment of choice, with favorable outcomes.