Hepatoblastoma is a malignant (cancerous) tumour of the liver which usually occurs in young children. This is different from hepatocellular carcinoma which usually occurs in adults and occasionally in older children.
About 10 – 15 children develop hepatoblastoma in the UK each year. The average age at diagnosis is one year and most cases occur before two years of age.
Hepatoblastoma is not associated with previous hepatitis, unlike hepatocellular carcinoma. Usually there are no associated genetic factors. There may be an increased risk of hepatoblastoma in children who have a family history of familial polyposis coli, or if the child has a condition called Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
Signs and symptoms
Hepatoblastoma usually presents as a lump in the tummy.
Other symptoms may include:
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Jaundice.