Hepatocellular carcinoma in a young woman with prolonged exposure to oral contraceptives.

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma in a young female is presented in which the apparent etiology was the use of oral contraceptives for 5 1/2 years. Sequential therapeutic trials with intraarterial 5-fluorouracil, intraarterial adriamycin, and intravenous 1,3 bis[2-chloroethyl]-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) were unsuccesful. The adverse effects of oral contraceptives on the structure and function of hepatic tissue are reviewed.