What is a Primary Hepatic Angiosarcoma?
Primary hepatic angiosarcoma is a very rare and aggressive cancer of the liver. It starts from the cells that line the blood vessels inside the liver. These cells normally help blood flow smoothly through the liver, but in this disease they begin to grow in an uncontrolled and abnormal way, forming a malignant tumour.
Unlike common liver cancers, this cancer does not arise from liver cells themselves but from the blood vessel lining, which makes it behave differently and more aggressively.
Incidence
This cancer is usually seen in older adults, and it is more common in men than women. In some cases, it has been linked to long-term exposure to certain chemicals such as vinyl chloride, arsenic, or thorium dioxide, though many patients have no clear exposure history. Because it is so rare, it is often not suspected early.
Symptoms
The symptoms are often vague at the beginning and may look like common liver problems. A person may feel dull pain or discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen, along with abdominal swelling or a feeling of fullness. Weakness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and weight loss are common.
As the disease progresses, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), fever, and nausea may develop. Some patients may experience internal bleeding, which can cause sudden abdominal pain, low blood pressure, or anemia, making the condition dangerous.
Diagnosis
To diagnose primary hepatic angiosarcoma, imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI are used to detect abnormal areas in the liver. However, these scans cannot always clearly identify this specific cancer. A biopsy is usually needed, where liver tissue is examined under the microscope. Special laboratory tests confirm that the tumour comes from blood vessel cells.
Treatment
Treatment is challenging because this cancer grows quickly and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. If the tumour is found early and limited to one area, surgical removal of part of the liver may be attempted. Unfortunately, many patients are not suitable for surgery due to widespread disease. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be used to slow progression, but results are often limited. Liver transplantation is generally not effective for this cancer.
Prognosis
The prognosis is poor in most cases because of the aggressive nature of the disease and late diagnosis. Survival is usually short, although early detection and complete surgical removal can improve outcomes in rare cases.
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