Diagnosing Pediatric Liver Tumors

Hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma are rare cancerous tumors that start in the liver. They usually don’t spread, also known as metastasize, to other parts of the body. They most commonly affect children under 4 years old.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms vary in each child, but can include:

• A lump in the belly/abdomen.
• Swelling or pain in the abdomen.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Feeling tired.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice).
• Fever.
• Itchy skin.
• Enlarged veins on the abdomen.

Before treatment can begin, it’s critical to make sure each patient is diagnosed correctly. Our pathologists, who make a diagnosis by looking at tumor tissue under a microscope, are experts at diagnosing pediatric liver tumors. Pathology is especially critical in liver tumors, as hepatoblastoma can often be misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma or vice versa, and benign tumors can become malignant over time. Blood tests and imaging, including ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI, may also be used to help diagnose hepatoblastoma or hepatocellular carcinoma.