Liver adenoma is a rare benign tumor that is more common in women due to the use of oral contraceptives. The tumor can become cancerous and is often discovered through pain in the upper right abdomen. Treatment involves stopping the use of contraceptives and steroids and surgical removal of large tumors.
Liver adenoma is a very rare type of benign tumor that originates in the liver. The global frequency of this cancer is unknown; in the United States, there are only 1 to 1.3 cases per million people annually. This type of cancer is much more common in women than in men, with a ratio of 9 to 1, because women who have taken oral contraceptives have a higher risk of developing this cancer. Liver adenoma is also called hepatocellular adenoma or liver cell adenoma. This benign tumor has the potential to become cancerous at a rate of 8% to 13%.
The main risk factor for liver adenoma is the use of oral contraceptives. In women who have used oral contraceptives for five to seven years, the risk is increased by a factor of five. Women who use oral contraceptives for nine years or more have a 25-fold increased risk of this liver cancer. Other risk factors include anabolic steroid use and type 1 diabetes.
The underlying cause of this type of cancer is not well understood, but hormones are known to play a role. Even so, although both oral contraceptives and anabolic steroids are risk factors, these cancers can sometimes develop in children in the absence of known risk factors. Another factor that could affect the development of these tumors is an imbalance in insulin and glucagons, the hormones that balance blood sugar levels and blood sugar uptake by cells.
The most common symptom of liver adenoma is pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. Up to 50 percent of people with this tumor will experience pain in this region. Large tumors might be evident as an abdominal growth. In some cases, the tumor is only discovered when medical imaging is done for another reason; sometimes, a patient has severe abdominal pain and bleeding that requires emergency treatment. The latter situation is more likely to occur in women who are pregnant or menstruating or are taking a high-dose oral contraceptive pill.
Since the growth of this tumor is promoted by hormones, women with liver tumors should avoid pregnancy and further use of oral contraceptive pills. The use of anabolic steroids, if applicable, should also be discontinued. Sometimes, this is enough for the tumor to stop growing and even shrink in size. Unfortunately, the risk of the tumor becoming malignant is not reduced even if you stop using steroids or contraceptives.
Liver adenoma tumors that cause symptoms and tumors larger than 2 inches (5 cm) are almost always surgically removed. Removal of large tumors is necessary even in the absence of symptoms because these tumors have an increased risk of bleeding. People being treated for this disease typically are monitored for cancer recurrence with yearly ultrasounds and blood tests.
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