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Canadian Journal of Surgery logoLink to Canadian Journal of Surgery
. 2001 Oct;44(5):371–376.

Cystadenomas of the liver: a spectrum of disease

Elijah Dixon *, Francis R Sutherland *,, Philip Mitchell *, Greg McKinnon *, Vimala Nayak
PMCID: PMC3692645  PMID: 11603751

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the wide variation in presentation of cystadenomas of the liver and to delineate useful tests for diagnosis and effective surgical treatment.

Design

A case series.

Setting

A university-affiliated hospital.

Patients

Four patients (3 women, 1 man) having cystadenoma of the liver, 2 of whom had associated mesenchymal stroma.

Main outcome measures

Serum and cyst fluid carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9 levels, type of surgery, morbidity and recurrence rates.

Results

Cyst fluid CEA and CA19-9 levels were elevated. One patient had resection, 2 had complete enucleation and 1 had partial enucleation. There were no deaths. Morbidity included 1 wound infection; there were no biliary fistulas. The patient with partial enucleation had a radiologically confirmed recurrence.

Conclusions

Analysis of cyst fluid CEA and CA19-9 is useful for diagnosis; besides hepatic resection, complete enucleation should be considered as a reasonable treatment for patients with this disease.

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