Question
The child was doing well in the first few days after birth, but lately, some symptoms have appeared. The child’s abdomen has become particularly large, but the weight has dropped significantly. The child also doesn’t like to breastfeed. Yesterday, my sister said the test results showed that the child has hepatoblastoma. Is hepatoblastoma congenital?
Answer
Hepatoblastoma is the most common congenital primary liver malignancy in children, commonly found in children under the age of three. It originates from the primitive liver cells of the fetal liver and is a congenital malignant tumor. It can spread widely through blood and lymphatic pathways. The sites of metastasis include the lungs, peritoneal cavity, lymph nodes, and brain. Clinical manifestations include abdominal swelling, abdominal mass, loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia, jaundice, and ascites.