Hepatoblastoma treatment and diagnostics abroad

Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver tumor in children, usually diagnosed before the age of three. Modern treatment combines chemotherapy with surgical removal of the tumor, or liver transplantation when resection is not possible; thanks to this, most children are cured.

Below are pediatric oncology clinics abroad: compare their experience, doctors and prices for diagnostics and treatment.

What is hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma develops from immature liver cells. It most often affects children in their first three years of life, boys slightly more often than girls. The risk is higher in premature babies with very low birth weight, in Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome and in familial adenomatous polyposis.

Symptoms

• a swollen abdomen or a lump that parents notice when bathing or dressing the child;
• abdominal pain, poor appetite, weight loss;
• nausea, vomiting, pallor, tiredness;
• jaundice — rare, in later stages;
• in boys, sometimes signs of early puberty because the tumor produces hormones.

Diagnosis

• abdominal ultrasound — the first step when a tumor is suspected;
• abdominal MRI or CT — shows how far the tumor extends in the liver (PRETEXT system), which guides treatment;
• chest CT — to look for lung metastases;
• blood alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) — raised in most children and used to monitor treatment;
• biopsy — to confirm the diagnosis in selected cases.

Hepatoblastoma treatment abroad

• Chemotherapy based on cisplatin — usually before surgery to shrink the tumor, and afterwards.
• Surgical removal of part of the liver (resection) — the key to cure. The liver can regrow its volume after surgery.
• Liver transplantation — when the tumor cannot be removed completely; leading centres also offer living related donor transplantation for children.

The outlook depends on tumor extent, AFP level and the presence of metastases. After treatment the child is followed by an oncologist for years with regular AFP checks and imaging.

Why families choose treatment abroad

• experienced pediatric hepatobiliary surgeons for complex liver resections;
• pediatric liver transplant programmes;
• treatment according to international protocols under a multidisciplinary tumor board;
• support for the child and family throughout treatment.

See clinics in the pediatric oncology and transplantology sections.

Send a request with your child's test results — Clinics Direct coordinators will obtain a pediatric oncologist's opinion and treatment prices from several clinics free of charge.