Authors:

Priya C1, Vinodhini C2 and Biswakumar B2

1 Department of Paediatrics, Indira Child Care, Chennai, India
2 Department of General Medicine, Indira Child Care, Chennai, India

Source:

Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Abstract

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common primary hepatic malignancy in children and accounts for 43% of the pediatric liver tumors. The usual presentation is the presence of an abdominal mass, vomiting, elevated αfetoprotein levels and thrombocytosis and it occurs in infants and children under 3 years of age. A 6-year-old male child presented to the outpatient department with complaints of mild to moderate grade fever, vomiting and loose
stools for 3 days. The child was otherwise active and there was no palpable abdominal mass.

USG abdomen and CT scan revealed the presence of an encapsulated solid hepatic tumor suggestive of HB. Complete blood count showed an elevated WBC count, high ESR and high α-fetoprotein levels (958 ng/ml) but no thrombocytosis. A nonanatomical excisional biopsy of the tumor confirmed it to be hepatoblastoma. The unusual features noticed in this
case was presentation at a slightly later age (6 years), absence of abdominal mass and absence of thrombocytosis.

Keywords:

Hepatoblastoma; Thrombocytosis; Abdominal mass; Surgery