Primary Liver Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor (PEComa): Case Report and Literature Review

Medicina (Kaunas). 2024 Feb 28;60(3):409. doi: 10.3390/medicina60030409.

Abstract

A primary liver perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is an extremely rare entity. In this article, we present a case report with a review of the literature on the patients diagnosed with primary liver PEComa and an elaboration of diagnostic and treatment modalities. A systematic literature search was conducted using the terms "perivascular epithelioid cell tumor", "PEComa", "liver", and "hepatic". All articles describing patients diagnosed with primary liver PEComa were included. We identified a total of 224 patients of primary liver PEComa from 75 articles and a case from the present study with a significant preponderance of females (ratio 4:1) and with a mean age of 45.3 ± 12.1 years. Most of the patients (114 out of 224, 50.9%) were asymptomatic. A total of 183 (81.3%) patients underwent surgical hepatic resection at the time of diagnosis, while 19 (8.4%) underwent surveillance. Recurrence and metastases were detected in seven (3.1%) and six (2.7%) patients, respectively. In conclusion, surgical resection remains the cornerstone of therapy; however, the presence of nonspecific imaging features makes it difficult to reach a definite diagnosis preoperatively. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be the gold standard in selecting the treatment modality.

Keywords: PEComa; literature review; liver; perivascular epithelioid cell tumor.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiomyolipoma*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms* / surgery

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.