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Typical fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma in a Japanese boy: report of a case

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Abstract

We report a case of typical fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) in a 16-year-old Japanese boy. This is very rare malignancy in Japan. The patient was referred for investigation of a large hepatic tumor and the results of tests for hepatitis B virus surface antigen and hepatitis C virus antibody were negative. Liver function test results and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were normal; however, the prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence/antagonist II was elevated. Computed tomography (CT) showed a large lobulated heterogeneously enhanced tumor in the posterior section of the liver. We diagnosed FL-HCC and performed posterior sectionectomy of the liver. The resected specimen contained a light brown and green tumor with a central fibrous scar, 10.0 cm in diameter. Microscopic and electron microscopic examinations revealed the typical features of FL-HCC. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, but negative for CK19 and AFP. The patient was alive without recurrence 48 months after surgery. Following this case report, we summarize the clinical features of the Japanese cases documented in the literature.

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Conflict of interest

Masanori Matsuda and his co-authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Surgery, Yamanashi University School of Medicine, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-city, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Masanori Matsuda, Hidetake Amemiya, Hiromichi Kawaida, Hirotaka Okamoto, Naohiro Hosomura, Masami Asakawa & Hideki Fujii

  2. Department of Radiology, Yamanashi University School of Medicine, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-city, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Katsuhiro Sano, Utaroh Motosugi & Tomoaki Ichikawa

  3. Department of Pathology, Yamanashi University School of Medicine, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-city, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan

    Tadao Nakazawa

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  1. Masanori Matsuda
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Correspondence to Masanori Matsuda.

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Matsuda, M., Amemiya, H., Kawaida, H. et al. Typical fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma in a Japanese boy: report of a case. Surg Today 44, 1359–1366 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-013-0653-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-013-0653-y

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