Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary clear cell carcinoma of the liver (PCCCL).
Methods: The clinicopathological data of 24 cases with pathologically proven PCCCL in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from May 1996 to December 2003 were collected and analyzed.
Results: There were 21 males and 3 females in this group, with an average age of 46 years (range: 30 approximately 78 years). HBV infection was detected in 83.3%, and AFP expression was found in 75.0% of them. Of the 24 cases, 28 tumors were found with an average size of (6.64 +/- 5.54) cm. Liver cirrhosis was found in 75.0% of the patients. Macroscopic and microscopic tumor thrombi were found in 20.8% and 29.2%, respectively. Lymph node metastasis was found in 4.2% of the patents. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the 24 cases were 75.0%, 41.7% and 27.8%, respectively, with a median survival time of 29 months.
Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of primary clear cell carcinoma of the liver are similar to that of common hepatocellular carcinoma. It is difficult to be diagnosed preoperatively and final diagnosis depends on pathological examination. Surgical resection is an effective way to achieve favorable treatment outcome and even long-term survival.