Background on Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma is a rare form of liver cancer that usually occurs in young adults who have no history of liver disease. Each year, only about 200 people are diagnosed with this cancer worldwide. Patients usually have a palpable abdominal mass but no symptoms. The typical treatment is surgical removal of the tumor. When the tumor cannot be removed surgically or when the cancer has spread, chemotherapy is used but it is not a cure. There are no effective treatment options other than liver resection surgery. The risk factors with regard to this type of cancer have not been identified yet. Very little is known about it. Patients do not have underlying cirrhosis of the liver and Hepatitis B infections are very uncommon with patients. Initial diagnosis is usually made based on symptoms that arise only when the disease is very advanced.