Hepatic hemangioma (patient information)
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Hepatic hemangioma |
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Hepatic hemangioma On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
A hepatic hemangioma is a noncancerous liver tumor made of widened (dilated) blood vessels
What are the symptoms of Hepatic hemangioma?
Some hemangiomas may cause bleeding or interfere with organ function, depending on their location. Most cavernous hemangiomas do not produce symptoms. In rare cases, a cavernous hemangioma may rupture.
What causes Hepatic hemangioma?
A hepatic hemangioma is the most common noncancerous tumor of the liver. It is believed to be a birth defect.
Hepatic hemangiomas can occur at any time, but are most common in people in their 30s - 50s. Women are affected more often than men, and usually have bigger tumors than men.
Babies may develop a type of hepatic hemangioma called benign infantile hemangioendothelioma (also called multinodular hepatic hemangiomatosis). This rare, noncancerous tumor has been linked to high rates of heart failure and death in infants. Infants are usually diagnosed by the time they are 6 months old.