Which malignant tumor is a unique HCC subtype found in adolescents and young adults with no coexisting liver disease, normal AFP, and a large solitary mass encapsulated by fibrous tissue?

Which malignant tumor is a unique HCC subtype found in adolescents and young adults with no coexisting liver disease, normal AFP, and a large solitary mass encapsulated by fibrous tissue?

• A. Fibrolamellar carcinoma
• B. Hepatocellular Carcinoma
• C. Hepatoblastoma
• D. Angiosarcoma

Answer: (A)

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma is a distinctive liver cancer that largely affects adolescents and young adults who do not have underlying liver disease. The hallmark is a normal or only mildly elevated AFP, along with a large solitary mass in the liver that is well circumscribed and often encapsulated by dense fibrous tissue. Histologically, the tumor shows thick lamellar bands of fibrous stroma separating nests of tumor cells, and imaging can reveal a central fibrous scar. This combination of young age, absence of cirrhosis or hepatitis, normal AFP, and a large fibrous-encapsulated mass fits fibrolamellar carcinoma best and sets it apart from conventional HCC, hepatoblastoma, or angiosarcoma, which typically present with different age profiles, risk factors, or AFP patterns.

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma is a distinctive liver cancer that largely affects adolescents and young adults who do not have underlying liver disease. The hallmark is a normal or only mildly elevated AFP, along with a large solitary mass in the liver that is well circumscribed and often encapsulated by dense fibrous tissue. Histologically, the tumor shows thick lamellar bands of fibrous stroma separating nests of tumor cells, and imaging can reveal a central fibrous scar. This combination of young age, absence of cirrhosis or hepatitis, normal AFP, and a large fibrous-encapsulated mass fits fibrolamellar carcinoma best and sets it apart from conventional HCC, hepatoblastoma, or angiosarcoma, which typically present with different age profiles, risk factors, or AFP patterns.