Hepatic tumours in childhood: An experience at the Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore

Objectives: in this report, we share our experience about the common types of childhood hepatic tumours during 10 years (2001-2010) and compare them with other studies. methods: during 10 years (2001-2010), all the hepatic tumours of childhood received at pathology department of the children hospital and institute of child health, lahore pakistan are recorded. this includes both resected specimens and biopsies. all the slides were reviewed and the pathologic diagnosis was confirmed. results: we diagnosed 48 liver tumour cases in children (below 18 years of age). among these tumours, 39 (81.25%) were malignant. male to female ratio was 2 : 1. hepatoblastoma was the most common liver tumour in this age group accounting for 69.23% of all malignant tumours (27 cases). the second most common primary tumour was hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosed in six patients (15.38%). other malignant tumours were undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma and biliary rhabdomyosarcoma. benign tumours included mesenchymal hamartoma, infantile haemangioendotheloima, hemangioma and benign cyst. there were also three metastatic tumours during these 10 years. in one case there was tumour necrosis only and as such no definitive diagnosis was rendered. conclusion: the spectrum of hepatic tumours in children is different from that found in the older age group and most of them are malignant.