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About a year ago I was diagnosed with having a small hepatic hemangioma in my liver. The doctor said that I was probably born with it and that I would most likely never have symptoms or need surgery, but recommended doing an ultrasound every 6 months. Turns out the tumor is growing! Have had an MRI, CT, and ultrasound which indicate it is growing. I am 26 years old and was on birth control for 4 years from 2004-2008, was this the cause of my hemagioma? It appears I had a CT done in 2005 due to kidney stones and the hemangioma was not present in the scan. My doctor thinks I need surgery since Im getting married in November and pregnancy hormones may make the tumor grow. Have never had surgery and am a bit scared.
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Luna - Hepatic hemangiomas are thought to be present in as many as 7 percent of healthy people and are 4-6 times more common in women than in men. It is believed that female hormones may promote their formation and growth. While they are referred to as tumors, they are not malignant and do not become cancerous. Most of the time no treatment is needed, but in some cases the patient's individual situation leads to surgery. A growing hemangioma could be a serious problem for you as large hemangiomas can cause symptoms. Pain, nausea, or enlargement of the liver can occur. Rarely, larger hemangiomas can rupture, causing severe pain and bleeding into the abdomen that may be severe or even life threatening.
Prior to having any type of surgery it's always a good idea to get a second opinion, and I think that seeing a another physician (gastroenterologist) would be a good idea in your case. Good luck to you, both with your medical concerns and your upcoming marriage. Pat
May 6, 2010 - 6:17pmThis Comment