Liver Tumors in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital

Abstract

          Background:  Liver tumors are common in clinical practice and it is important to differentiate cancer from benign tumors. Various supporting data can help accurate diagnosis possible. Objective: To analyze symptoms, signs, basic patient characteristics, laboratory tests and x-ray findings of liver tumor patients in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study was performed from medical records of liver tumor patients in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital who were admitted from August 1, 2003 to July 31, 2004. Data were collected and analyzed. Results: 294 liver tumor patients in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital were diagnosed. Average age was 59.1 ±13.8 year with age range 20-89 years. They were 219 males (74.5%) and 272 were cancer patients (92.5%) that consisted of hepatoma, cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic liver tumor 43.9%, 42.2% and 6.5% respectively, 22 were benign liver tumor patients (7.5%) that the most common was hepatic hemangioma. When we compared the patient characteristics between the cancer group and the benign one. We found that the former had more male ratio, more non Amphur Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, more alcohol drinking history, short beginning period of disease and larger liver tumor size. For symptoms and signs, the former had more icterus, more loss of body weight, bigger hepatomegaly, and more severe anemia. For laboratory tests, the former had less hemoglobin, less albumin, more platelet, more SGOT, more total bilirubin, and more alkaline phosphates levels. Conclusion: 294 Liver tumor patients were found in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital during August 1, 2003 to July 31, 2004 with were more commonly found in predicted liver cancers were male sex, big liver tumor size, and icterus, loss of body weight, hepatomegaly, anemia, high SGOT, high total bilirubin and high alkaline phosphatase.