Results of hepatic resection for primary hepatic angiosarcoma in adults.

BACKGROUND

Primary hepatic angiosarcoma is an uncommon but aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes of patients with the disease.

MATERIAL/METHODS: Medical records of 6 patients who underwent surgical resection for primary hepatic angiosarcoma at our institution between 1998 and 2006 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

There were 5 men and 1 woman who ranged in age from 44 to 77 years, with a mean of 55.5 years. The most common symptoms at diagnosis were pain in the right upper quadrant, abdominal distension, weakness and weight loss. None of these patients presented with intra-abdominal hemorrhage from tumor rupture. Right hepatectomy was performed in 3 cases, extended right hepatectomy in 1 case, and left hepatectomy in the remaining 2 cases. All 6 patients had solitary masses. One patient died of perioperative complication, and another patient with microscopic tumor residuals died of disease recurrence at 6 months. Of the other 4 patients with pathological free margins, 3 died of disease recurrence at 10, 14 and 17 months, and the remaining 1 has been alive without recurrence for 29 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the overall outcome of surgical resection remains unsatisfactory, complete surgical resection may prolong survival of patients with solitary primary hepatic angiosarcoma without spontaneous rupture.