Transitional liver cell tumors (TLCT) in older children and adolescents: a novel group of aggressive hepatic tumors expressing beta-catenin.

BACKGROUND

We encountered on seven malignant hepatocellular tumors developing in older children and adolescents.

RESULTS

These tumors exhibit an unusual phenotype with respect to clinical presentation, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and treatment response. As a working hypothesis, we suggest that these apparently novel, unusual, and aggressive tumors occurring in older children and adolescents may form a transition in the putative developmental pathway of hepatocarcinogenesis.

CONCLUSION

We therefore propose the term, transitional liver cell tumors (TLCT), to denote these lesions.