Hepatology - Histology of HCC Flashcards
What is the most commonly found tumour in the liver?
Metastasis of colorectal carcinoma
What is the most commonly found primary tumour of the liver?
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
What is the main cause of hepatocellular carcinoma?
Chronic viral hepatitis
What are the causes of hepatocellular carcinoma? (7)
- Chronic viral infection
- Alcohol-induced liver injury
- Smoking
- Aflatoxin
- Iron overload
- α1-antitrypsin deficiency
- Obesity
What can cause symptoms in hepatocellular carcinoma?
- Tumour
- Advanced stage of liver disease that predisposed for the tumour
How is hepatocellular carcinoma most frequenty localized & identified?
Imaging (CT)
What is the difference in hepatocellular carcinoma macroscopic features between cirrhotic vs. non-cirrhotic livers?
Cirrhotic: often has a fibrous (pseudo)capsule
Non-cirrhotic: no capsule
What are the various possible growth patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma? (5)
- Nodular
- Infiltrative
- Diffuse
- Cirrhosis-like HCC
- Pedunculated HCC
Hepatocellular carcinoma can metastesize via [haematogenous/lymphatic/both] routes
Both
Wht are the most important target organs of hepatocellular carcinoma metastesis? (4) What %?
- Lungs: 45%
- Lymph nodes: 45%
- Bones
- Adrenal glands
Which factor increases the risk of intrahepatic spread of hepatocellular carcinoma via the portal veins?
Tumour size
What are the different microscopic architectural growth patterns of hepatocellular carcinoma?
- Trabecular plate-like
- Pseudoglandular/acinar
- Compact
What is a trabecular plate-like architecture of hepatocellular carcinoma?
Mimics normal liver architecture, but with thicker trabeculas (>4 cells thick)
What is a pseudoglandular/acinar architecture of hepatocellular carcinoma?
Glandular structure, lacking portal tracts
What is a compact architecture of hepatocellular carcinoma?
Lack of portal tracts & sinusoids
What is a characteristic marker of hepatocellular carcinoma? Why?
CD34 -> only found in capillary epithelium, not in sinusoids -> signifies angiogenesis
What are naked arteries? Why are they characteristic of hepatocellular carcinoma?
Presence of arteries outside the portal tract -> signifies angiogenesis & very atypical liver architecture
What are features of malignant hepatocytes? (7)
- Pleomorphic cells
- Fatty change
- Bile production
- Hyaline bodies
- Spindle cells
- Pale bodies
- Clear cells
