Malignant epithelial neoplasm consistent with primitive cystic hepatic neoplasm with mesothelial differentiation: a case report.

Mesothelioma are primary tumors of the celiomic cavity and are seen more often in adults than in children: only an estimated 2-5% of all cases present within the first two decades of life. To best knowledge of the reviewing world literature reported to date, no more than 80 proved cases of this tumor have occurred in children. One-third of mesothelioma originate in the peritoneum and two-thirds arise in the pleural cavity. Mesothelioma of the liver are extremely rare; a review of the English literature shows only three adult cases that have been reported as fibrous mesothelioma of the liver; experience with these cases suggests a high potential for recurrence, but no progression to malignancy. Cystic mesothelioma occur mainly in adults and are considered to be benign and curable. We describe a case of malignant epithelial neoplasm consistent with primitive cystic hepatic neoplasm with mesothelial differentiation arising in a 3-year-old boy, a condition which has never before been reported in childhood. Malignant primitive cystic mesothelioma is possible that some cases of intraabdominal mesenchymoma or hamartoma with malignant differentiation may have been misdiagnosed in the past; future cases should be fully evaluated, to establish the true incidence of mesothelioma disease in children.