Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma Research Articles

Post-resection prognosis of patients with hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

PurposeEpithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare borderline vascular tumor. This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the outcomes of hepatic resection (HR) in patients with hepatic EHE.MethodsOver the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018, 11 patients with hepatic EHE underwent HR, accounting for 0.1% of the 11,979 adults who underwent HR at our center. Diagnosis of hepatic EHE was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for CD34, CD31, and factor VIII-related antigen.ResultsThe 11 patients included 9 females (81.8%) and 2 males (18.2%) with mean age of 43.5 ± 13.6 years. Preoperative imaging resulted in a preliminary diagnosis of suspected liver metastasis or EHE, with 9 patients (81.8%) undergoing liver biopsy. No patient presented with abnormally elevated concentrations of liver tumor markers. The extents of HR were determined by tumor size and location from trisectionectomy to partial hepatectomy. All patients recovered uneventfully from HR. Five patients showed tumor recurrence, with 4 receiving locoregional treatments for recurrent lesions. The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 90.9%, 54.5%, and 54.5%, respectively. Currently, all patients remain alive and are doing well. Univariate analysis on tumor recurrence showed that tumor size ≥ 4 cm was significantly associated with tumor recurrence (P = 0.032), but tumor number ≥ 4 was not related to (P = 0.24).ConclusionHepatic EHE is a rare form of primary liver tumor often misdiagnosed as a metastatic tumor. Because of its malignant potential, HR is indicated if possible. HR plus, when necessary, treatment of recurrence yields favorable overall survival rates in patients with hepatic EHE.

An incidental hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in a patient with chronic hepatitis: lost in the maze.

Hepatic epithelioid angioendotheliomas (HEHE) are rare vascular tumors with low to intermediate malignancy. Imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of HEHE. However, imaging characterization of HEHE still remains challenging, since HEHE is commonly misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma or metastases.

Transplantation and autotransplantation of the liver in radical treatment of unresectable liver tumors and parasitic diseases

Aim. To evaluate results of liver transplantation and ex situ liver resection and autotransplantation in patients with unresectable parasitic and tumor liver lesions. Matherial and methods. A total of 22 orthotopic liver transplants and 4 ex situ liver resection and autotransplantations were performed. Liver transplants performed in 10 cases of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, 8 cases of alveolar echinococcosis, 4 cases of hepatic epithelioid haemangioendothelioma. Ex situ liver resection and autotransplantation were performed in 3 cases of alveolar echinococcosis and in 1 case of cholangiocarcinoma. Results. Postoperative complication developed in 38,4% patients. Mortality rate was 19.2%. Patients with alveolar echinococcosis were most complicated group with 36,3% early mortality rate. Mortality in hepatocellular carcinoma group was 10%. There were no early mortality in haemangioendothelioma and cholangiocarcinoma patients. Median overall survival for hepatocelluler carcinoma, alveolar echinococcosis and hepatic epithelioid haemangioendothelioma groups was 48, 36, 20 months respectively. Patient after ex situ liver resection for cholangiocarcinoma alive for 24 months and still disease free. Conclusion. Liver transplantation and ex situ liver resection and autotransplantation is the only opportunity for radical treatment for unresectable alveolar echinococcosis and some oncological diseases of the organ. Patients with unresectable alveolar echinococcosis is a high risk group of postoperative complications due to initial poor physical status, long-time disease, chronically infections and parasitic invasion.

Prognosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma after living donor liver transplantation

Background: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare borderline vascular tu mor. Due to its rarity and protean behavior, the optimal treatment of hepatic EHE has not yet been standardized. This single-center study describes outcomes in patients with he patic EHE who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent LDLT for hepatic EHE from 2007 to 2016 were reviewed. Results: During 10-year period, four patients, one man and three women, of mean age 41.3±11.1 years, underwent LDLT for hepatic EHE. Based on imaging modalities, these pa tients were preoperatively diagnosed with EHE or hepatocellular carcinoma, with percu taneous liver biopsy confirming that all four had hepatic EHE. The tumors were multiple and scattered over entire liver, precluding liver resection. Blood tumor markers were not elevated, except that CA19-9 and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin was slightly elevated in one patient. Mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 10.8±5.7. All patients under went LDLT using modified right liver grafts, with graft-recipient weight ratio of 1.11±0.19, and all recovered uneventfully after LDLT. One patient died due to tumor recurrence at 9 months, whereas the other three have done well without tumor recurrence, resulting in 5-year disease-free and overall patient survival rates of 75% each. The patient with tumor recurrence was classified as a high-risk patient based on the original and modified he patic EHE-LT scoring systems. Conclusions: LDLT can be an effective treatment for patients with unresectable hepat ic EHEs that are confined within the liver and absence of macrovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis.

Laparoscopic resection of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: report of eleven rare cases and literature review

BackgroundHepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is an extremely rare borderline tumor of vascular endothelial origin. Laparoscopic resection of HEHE has never been reported.MethodsThe clinical data of eleven patients with HEHE (4 women and 7 men) who were diagnosed and treated at the Union Hospital (Wuhan, China), and Wuhan Asia General Hospital (Wuhan, China), between March 2012 and July 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsThe mean age of HEHE patients was 42.4 ± 13.9 years (range 22–67 years). All patients underwent laparoscopic surgery alone or in combination with radiofrequency ablation. Most tumors showed aggressive growth or metastasis. By immunohistochemistry, tumor cells were positive for CD31, CD34, ERG, PCK, FLi-1, TFE-3, and Ki-67 (labeling index range, 5–15%). In one of the patients, the tumor was accompanied by partial necrosis with a local appearance of epithelioid angiosarcoma. Postoperative adjuvant treatment included chemotherapy, sorafenib, and Huaier granule. As of July 2020, the median follow-up duration was 36 months (range, 9–60 months), with 2 (18.2%) patients experiencing tumor recurrence.ConclusionsThis is the first report of laparoscopic hepatectomy of HEHE. Curative laparoscopic hepatectomy might be an acceptable treatment for appropriate HEHE patients.

Laparoscopic repeat liver resection for hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

BackgroundOptimal treatment for patients with hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) remains unclear. Laparoscopic repeat liver resection (LR) is a minimally invasive and potentially effective surgical option for multiple HEHEs.Case presentationA 42-year-old woman with no relevant history was admitted for multiple liver tumors. Six tumors were observed on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including one in S2, two in S3, two in S7, and one in S8. Pathological evaluation of percutaneous tumor biopsy tissue suggested a diagnosis of HEHE and laparoscopic LR was planned. The procedure began with partial resection of S7 and partial resection of S8 and left lateral sectionectomy were performed. Another tumor was found intraoperatively on the surface of S6, necessitating removal by partial resection. Pathological evaluation of the resected tumor tissue from all seven tumors concurred with that of the preoperative biopsy. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 6 without any complications. A follow-up MRI 15 months after the primary surgery revealed one tumor each in S4, S6, and S8. Laparoscopic repeat LR was performed. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 5 without any complications. All three recurrent tumors were pathologically confirmed as HEHEs.ConclusionsWe successfully treated primary and recurrent HEHEs with laparoscopic LR, which is a reasonable minimally invasive procedure considering the possibility of multiple courses of liver surgery in patients with HEHE.

Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma – A Findings in Computed Tomography and Ultrasound

Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma – A Findings in Computed Tomography and Ultrasound

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: Update on diagnosis and therapy.

With an estimated incidence of only 1-2 cases in every 1 million people, hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare vascular endothelial cell tumor occurring in the liver and consisting of epithelioid and histiocyte-like vascular endothelial cells in mucus or a fibrotic matrix. HEHE is characterized as a low-to-moderate grade malignant tumor and is classified into three types: solitary, multiple, and diffuse. Both the etiology and characteristic clinical manifestations of HEHE are unclear. However, HEHE has a characteristic appearance on imaging including ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography/computerized tomography. Still, its diagnosis depends mainly on pathological findings, with immunohistochemical detection of endothelial markers cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31), CD34, CD10, vimentin, and factor VIII antigen as the basis of diagnosis. Hepatectomy and/or liver transplantation are the first choice for treatment, but various chemotherapeutic drugs are reportedly effective, providing a promising treatment option. In this review, we summarize the literature related to the diagnosis and treatment of HEHE, which provides future perspectives for the clinical management of HEHE.

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: case series of a rare vascular tumor mimicking metastases

BackgroundHepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is an extremely rare malignant vascular tumor which is often multifocal and, in many cases, discovered incidentally. Here, we describe the clinicopathological features of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma cases seen in our practice and present a detailed review of the published literature.MethodsAll cases of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma diagnosed in Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2019 were included in the study. Slides were reviewed and follow up was obtained.ResultsSeven cases were reported during the study period. There were 4 females and 3 males. Age range was 20 to 77 years, mean age was 45 years. Three patients presented with right upper abdominal pain; 1 patient presented with jaundice while 3 patients were asymptomatic. In all 7 cases, lesions were identified on imaging studies. In 5 cases, liver lesions were multifocal. Clinical differential diagnosis in all cases was metastatic carcinoma and multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver function tests were normal in 5 cases. In 1 patient, tumor had already metastasized to the right lung. On histological examination of liver core biopsies performed in all 7 cases, classic histological features of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma were seen. Tumor cells expressed positivity for vascular markers (CD 34, CD31 and ERG) and were negative for cytokeratins, Hep par 1 and Glypican 3. Surgical resection was not performed in any of the 7 cases and all patients were treated by chemotherapy. Follow up was available in 5 cases. Of these, 3 patients died of disease and another patient was alive with metastases in both lungs, omentum and colon.ConclusionClinicopathological features of the 7 cases in our series and detailed review of published literature is presented. Prognosis was bad in our cases most likely due to fact that surgical resection could not be performed in any of the cases owing to lack of surgical expertise for liver tumor surgery in most parts of the country.

Aberrant keratin expression is common in primary hepatic malignant vascular tumors: A potential diagnostic pitfall

Malignant vascular neoplasms such as epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) and angiosarcoma (AS) can arise within the liver. The aim of this study was to study the expression of keratins CK7, AE1/AE3 and OSCAR in primary hepatic EHE and AS. 9 cases of hepatic EHE and 13 cases of hepatic AS were stained with ERG, CK7, keratin AE1/AE3 and keratin OSCAR. Their expression was graded as 1+ (1–25% of tumor cells positive), 2+ (26–50%), 3+ (51–75%) or 4+ (>75%). ERG was positive in all 9 (100%) EHEs and all 13 (100%) ASs. CK7 was positive in 5/9 (56%) EHEs (2, 1+; 1, 2+; 1, 3+; 1, 4+) and 1/13 (8%) AS (2+). Keratin OSCAR was positive in 6/9 (67%) EHEs (5, 1+; 1, 2+) and 4/13 (31%) ASs (2, 1+; 1, 2+; 1, 4+). Keratin AE1/AE3 was positive in 6/9 (67%) EHEs (3, 1+; 3; 2+) and 4/13 (31%) ASs (2, 1+; 1, 2+; 1, 4+). Overall, 6/ 9 (67%) EHEs were positive for at least one keratin marker, of which 5 were positive for all 3 keratins (AE1/AE3, OSCAR and CK7) while 1 was positive only for 2 keratins (OSCAR and AE1/AE3). 4/13 (31%) of ASs were positive for both keratins OSCAR and AE1/AE3, of which 1 case was also positive for CK7. Aberrant keratin expression is common in primary hepatic EHEs (67%) and ASs (31%). Awareness of this diagnostic pitfall is important for avoiding misdiagnosis of these primary hepatic malignant vascular tumors as carcinomas.

Imaging characteristics and prognostic values of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a low-to-intermediate-grade malignant mesenchymal tumor. The diagnostic and prognostic values of 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to patients with HEHE have not been fully validated. Patient survival outcomes (including overall survival [OS] and progression-free survival [PFS]), lesions characteristics and semi-quantitative parameters, in terms of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak SUV (SUVpeak), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) on 18F-FDG PET/CT of 20 cases with HEHE were measured and analyzed. A total of 310 liver lesions were detected (excluding the diffuse-type lesions in 3 cases). Most lesions had higher SUVmax in delayed imaging than in early imaging (P = 0.013). Patients with multiple organs involved had higher death rate (P = 0.022), higher progression rate (P = 0.020), shorter OS (P = 0.011), larger lesion SUVmax (P = 0.048) and TLG (P = 0.033) than those with only liver involved. The area under curves (AUCs) from the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curveanalysis were 0.960, 0.949, 0.980 and 0.960 for SUVmax, SUVpeak, TLG and MTV, respectively, in predicting OS (P = 0.005, 0.008, 0.001 and 0.024, respectively). For predicting PFS, the AUCs were 0.791, 0.824, 0.857 and 0.813 (P = 0.036, 0.019, 0.010 and 0.024), respectively. Dual-time-point imaging may improve lesions detectability. Patients with multiple organ involved had worse prognosis. The higher SUVmax, SUVpeak, TLG and MTV of lesions, the worse prognosis of patients were found.

Comparison of the clinical and MRI features of patients with hepatic hemangioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, or angiosarcoma

BackgroundComparisons of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE), hepatic hemangioma, and hepatic angiosarcoma (HAS) have rarely been reported. The purpose of our study was to analyze the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of these conditions.MethodsA total of 57 patients (25 with hemangioma, 13 with HEHE, and 19 with HAS) provided hepatic vascular endothelial cell data between June 2006 and May 2017.ResultsThe proportions of cases with circumscribed margins were 88% (22/25), 84.6% (11/13), and 31.6% (6/19) for hemangioma, HEHE, and HAS, respectively (P < 0.001). HAS lesions were less likely to have circumscribed margins. The proportions of lesions with hemorrhaging were 4% (1/25), 30.8% (4/13), and 36.8% (7/19) for hemangioma, HEHE, and HAS, respectively (P = 0.014). HEHE and HAS cases were more likely to show heterogeneous signals on T1-weighted (T1WI) MRI. HEHE and HAS cases were more likely to show heterogeneous signals on T2-weighted (T2WI) MRI. Centripetal enhancement was the most common pattern in vascular tumors, with proportions of 100, 46.2% (6/13), and 68.4% (13/19) for hemangioma, HEHE, and HAS, respectively. The difference in enhancement pattern between HEHE and HAS was not significant, but rim enhancement was more common for HEHE (46.2%, 6/13).ConclusionsOur study revealed clinical and imaging differences between HEHE and HAS. The platelet count (PLT) and coagulation function of the HAS group decreased, whereas the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level increased. The 5-year survival rate for HAS was significantly lower than that of HEHE. A higher malignancy degree indicated a more blurred lesion margin, easier occurrence of hemorrhaging, and more heterogeneous T1WI and T2WI signals.

Natural History of Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma of the Liver: CT Findings of 15 Cases

Little is known about the natural history of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) of the liver. This study aimed to assess the natural history of hepatic EHE by evaluating CT findings of patients with pathologically proven hepatic EHE during follow-up without treatment. CT findings of 15 patients (seven men and eight women; median age, 56 years) with pathologically proven hepatic EHE were retrospectively evaluated. The median interval between the baseline and final CT was 36 months (range, 6-144 months). The maximal diameter of the largest hepatic lesion on the baseline CT and the diameter of the same lesion on the final CT were recorded. Change in size of the largest lesion between the two studies was classified as enlargement, no change, and reduction. When a patient with the largest lesion showing reduction developed a new hepatic lesion on the final CT, it was referred to as "unpredictable growth". CT revealed multiple hepatic lesions in all patients. Enlargement, no change, and reduction of the largest lesion were observed in four, five, and six patients, respectively. Unpredictable growth was observed in five patients. During the follow-up of untreated patients with hepatic EHE, spontaneous regression and appearance of a new hepatic lesion were occasionally observed in the same patient.

CT imaging and quantitative analysis in the differential diagnosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and hepatic metastasis

Objective To study the use of abdominal enhanced CT imaging and quantitative index analysis in the differential diagnosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) and hepatic metastasis. Methods A study group of 12 patients with HEH who underwent abdominal enhanced CT scanning at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2014 to October 2018 was retrospectively compared with a control group of 52 patients with hepatic metastases diagnosed clinically and by imaging examinations. The general information and imaging data of these patients were collected and analyzed. Results The lesions in the 2 groups mainly presented as multiple and diffuse lesions. The diffuse lesions of HEH often fused into strips. The hepatic metastasis group showed a higher CT attenuation and TNR in the portal vein phase than the HEH group (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curves of the two indexes were 0.756 and 0.841 respectively. The centers of the lesions showed almost no or slightly homogeneous enhancement in the HEH group, while the liver metastasis group showed slightly and moderately heterogeneous enhancement, with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Female, subcapsular distribution, capsular contraction, target ring sign and lollipop sign were independent risk factors for HEH (P<0.05), while a high CT attenuation and TNR in the portal vein phase, elevated tumor markers and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for liver metastasis on logistic regression analysis (P<0.05). Conclusions CT attenuation, TNR, central enhancement features in the portal vein phase, special signs and secondary changes of lesions were helpful for the differential diagnosis between HEH and liver metastasis. Key words: Hemangioendothelioma, epithelioid; Hepatoma; Tomography, X-ray computed; Tumor metastasis; Differential diagnosis

Hepatic hemangioendothelioma: CT, MR, and FDG-PET-CT in 67 patients-a bi-institutional comprehensive cancer center review.

To evaluate the imaging features of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) on multiphasic CT, MR, and FDG-PET-CT. Bi-institutional review identified 67 adults (mean age, 47years; 23 M/44 F) with pathologically proven HEH and pretreatment multiphasic CT (n = 67) and/or MR (n = 30) and/or FDG-PET-CT (n = 13). HEHs were multifocal in 88% (59/67). Mean size of the dominant mass was 4.1cm (range, 1.4-19cm). The tumors were located in the peripheral, subcapsular regions of the liver in 96% (64/67). Capsular retraction was present in 81% (54/67 cases) and tumors were coalescent in 61% (41/67). HEH demonstrated peripheral ring enhancement on arterial phase imaging in 33% (21/64) and target appearance on the portal venous phase in 69% (46/67). Persistent peripheral enhancement on the delayed phase was seen in 49% (31/63). On MR, multilayered target appearance was seen on the T2-weighted sequences in 67% (20/30) and on the diffusion-weighted sequences in 61% (11/18). Target appearance on hepatobiliary phase of MRI was seen in 57% (4/7). On pre-therapy FDG-PET-CT, increased FDG uptake above the background liver parenchyma was seen in 62% (8/13). HEHs typically manifest as multifocal, coalescent hepatic nodules in peripheral subcapsular location, with associated capsular retraction. Peripheral arterial ring enhancement and target appearance on portal venous phase are commonly seen on CT. Similarly, multilayered target appearance correlating with its histopathological composition is typically seen on multiple sequences of MR including T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted, and dynamic contrast-enhanced multiphasic MR. • Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas manifest on CT and MR as multifocal, coalescent hepatic nodules in peripheral subcapsular location, with associated capsular retraction. • Enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT and MR can vary but peripheral ring enhancement on arterial phase and target appearance on portal venous phase are commonly seen. • Retrospective two-center study showed that cross-sectional imaging may help in the diagnosis.

Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma

The paper gives a clinical example of diagnosing hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. With allowance made for that the tumor occurs rarely (less than 1% of cases of all vascular tumors), the authors provide the clinical example to demonstrate the capabilities of imaging techniques, by applying an integrated approach.

Treatment and prognosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma based on SEER data analysis from 1973 to 2014

BackgroundHepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is a rare tumor of vascular origin with an unknown etiology, a low incidence, and a variable natural course. We evaluated the management and prognosis of HEH from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program and changes in treatment modalities of HEH over 30 years. MethodsFrom 1973 to 2014 in the SEER database, we selected patients diagnosed with HEH. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, patterns of management, and clinical outcomes of patients with HEH. ResultsWe identified 79 patients with HEH (median age: 54.0 years; male to female ratio: 1:2.6). The initial extent of disease was local in 22 (27.8%) patients, regional metastasis in 22 (27.8%), distant metastasis in 31 (39.2%) and unknown in 4 (5.1%). The median size of primary tumor was 3.85 cm (interquartile range, 2.50–7.93 cm). Among 74 patients with available management data, the most common management was no treatment (29/74, 39.2%), followed by chemotherapy only (22/74, 29.7%), liver resection-based (13/74, 17.6%), and transplantation-based therapy (6/74, 8.1%). The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 57.8%. Patients who underwent surgical treatment had significantly higher survival than those who underwent non-surgical treatment (5-year survival; 88% vs. 49%, P = 0.019). Multivariate analysis revealed that surgical therapy was the only independent prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio: 0.20, P = 0.040). ConclusionsResection or liver transplantation is worth considering for treatment of patients with HEH.

Progress of liver transplantation in treating hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Epithelioid Hemangioendotheliomais a rare, low-grade malignant vascular tumour. It’scalled hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(HEHE), when it occurs in liver. It can be metastatic and postoperative recurrence. There are few cases have been reported in the literature at home and abroad because of its rarity. The treatment of HEHE is also controversial. With the continuous improvement of surgical techniques of liver transplantation, it is increasingly applied to treat liver failure patients caused by HEHE. Our paper reviews the literature on disease characteristics of HEHE, and liver transplantation for HEHE indications, immunotherapy and prognosis, to illustrate the status and progress of liver transplantation for HEHE. Key words: Liver transplantation; Neoplasm metastasis; Recurrence; Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Selection of treatment for hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: a single-center experience

BackgroundHepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare angiogenic tumor with no recognized effective treatment. Treatment options used worldwide include liver transplantation (LT), liver resection (LR), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), chemotherapy, and observation. The aim of this study was to describe the efficacy of different treatment options used for HEHE at our center.MethodsThe medical charts of 12 patients with HEHE (9 women and 3 men) who were diagnosed and treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, China, between January 2011 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsThe patients were diagnosed by postoperative histopathology or fine needle aspiration biopsy. Two patients with diffuse lesions received LT and were alive without recurrence at the last follow-up. Three patients received LR as the initial treatment, and all of them developed recurrence during the follow-up period. One patient received RFA and remained free of disease, while the remaining six patients opted for simple observation rather than treatment. One of the patients who received LR passed away because of tumor recurrence within 32 months after surgery; the other patients showed no significant disease activity after treatments for their recurrent lesions. As of April 2018, the mean follow-up duration was 39.6 ± 20.1 months (15–82 months).ConclusionsThere are multiple strategies for HEHE. Considering its indolent course, initial observation for assessment of the lesion behavior may aid in the selection of appropriate treatment. Surgery or LT is suitable for patients with disease progression during the observation period. However, our sample size was small, and further studies are required to gather more information that can aid in optimal treatment selection.

Liver Transplantation for Non-hepatocellular Carcinoma Malignancy: A Single-Center Experience

BackgroundLiver transplantation has become an effective treatment for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with excellent outcomes. More recent reports have described improved outcomes in liver transplantation in a subset of patients with other malignancies like hilar cholangiocarcinoma, unresectable hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma and hepatic metastasis from neuroendocrine tumors. However, hepatic angiosarcoma remains an absolute contraindication to liver transplantation because of the poor outcome. ObjectivesThe present study aims to describe liver transplantation for non-hepatocellular carcinoma malignancy. MethodsA retrospective analysis of patients and review of the literature was performed. Results. A total of 5 patients with non-hepatocellular carcinoma malignancy on explants histopathologic findings were identified. They presented hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (1), neuroendocrine tumor (1), angiosarcoma (1) and cholangiocarcinoma (2). The mean length of follow-up was 22.8 ± 37.67 (range, 2-90 months). Of 5 patients evaluated, 3 patients remain with stable graft function. ConclusionFuture investigations are necessary to redefine the indications of liver transplantations to treat non-hepatocellular carcinoma malignancy and its limitation.