Clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma during pregnancy / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during pregnancy. Methods Clinical data of 4 patients with HCC in pregnancy were retrospectively analyzed.Results All 4 patients were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. A marked increase in maternal serum a-fetoprotein (AFP) was found in 3 patients (310.1-5630.0 ng/ml ). Three patients were diagnosed at their advanced stages and died of disease in the 4th, 6th and 7th months, respectively. One patient diagnosed as having early HCC underwent curative surgery and has been without recurrence for 26 months. Conclusion The overall survival of patients with HCC in pregnancy is grim because most patients are diagnosed in the advanced stage. Surveillance with AFP and ultrasonography should be recommended for pregnant woman for the detection of early HCC, especially in hepatitis B virus carriers from high endemic areas, to improve patient survival.