HEPATOBLASTOMA

Course overview

HEPATOBLASTOMAS ARE THE MOST COMMON PRIMARY MALIGNANT LIVER TUMOR IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS, AND MOST OFTEN OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF LIFE. THE HISTOLOGIC TYPES ARE SUBDIVIDED INTO THE EPITHELIAL TYPE AND THE MIXED TYPE. OVER THE LAST 3 DECADES, THE TREATMENT HAS ADVANCED, AND NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY IS NOW THE STANDARD OF CARE FOR MOST CASES. NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY AND SURGICAL RESECTION PRODUCE A CURE RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT, A VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER THE DISMAL 30 PERCENT CURE RATE IN THE 1970S. PROGNOSIS IS BASED ON MANY FACTORS INCLUDING ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN LEVELS, AGE AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS, COMPLETENESS OF RESECTION, AND CLINICAL STAGE OF THE DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HEPATOBLASTOMAS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.