Liver Hemangioma Symptoms

Aggregation of blood vessels forming a mass either in the skin or internal organs is known as hemangiomas. A bright red colored skin patch which can be a birthmark is also referred to as hemangioma. When blood vessels get twisted and tangled in the liver to form a non-cancerous mass in the liver, the condition is known as liver / hepatic / cavernous hemangioma. This mass is benign and in majority of cases, doesn't affect the liver function. Therefore, normally, no liver hemangioma symptoms are noticed. Increase in the size of the hemangiomas in the liver, leading to some health complications is very rarely noticed.

Liver Hemangioma Causes

Scientists are still researching to find out the exact cause of this disorder. You might be surprised to know that nearly 30% of liver hemangiomas are detected in newborn babies. In fact, after 'skin hemangiomas', 'liver hemangioma' is the most common type of benign growth found in the human body. It is normally asymptomatic. It is usually considered as a congenital defect. According to some experts, hormonal imbalance can lead to the formation of a mass that is composed of blood vessels, in the liver. As overproduction of blood vessels is involved in the formation of this mass, scientists think that unnatural growth of endothelial cells (that form the lining of the blood vessels) can be the cause of this disorder. Since hormonal imbalance is considered as one of the causes of this disorder, excessive use of steroids or oral contraceptives can lead to formation of hepatic hemangioma. The risk factors that may lead to this disorder may vary according to age, sex, hormonal imbalance, hormone replacement therapy, etc. Statistics inform us that women are more likely to develop liver hemangiomas than men. Though in majority of cases, these hemangiomas do not exhibit any symptoms, in a few cases, when they become quite large, can exhibit some symptoms.

Liver Hemangioma Symptoms

Normally, a liver hemangioma is about 5 cm wide and is found as a single mass. But in some cases, it can be larger than this and/or there can be more than one liver hemangiomas present at a time. Generally, they stop growing once they attain this size. But if they grow more than this size, they can be the cause of serious health complications. In very few cases, especially in adults, following symptoms can be noticed.

• Upper right quadrant pain
• One feels satiated even after eating a small amount of food
• Lack of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Liver hemangioma can lead to complications during pregnancy. Higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy may promote the growth of blood vessel mass in liver. Enlargement of liver can lead to some health problems. With CT scan or ultrasound imaging, the mass can be detected. Generally people come to know about the presence of liver hemangiomas while undergoing a test or procedure for some other condition. They need to consult a gastroenterologist and find out whether any treatment is essential. Generally, no treatment is required but if the mass is causing some symptoms, then surgical removal of the mass can be recommended. Diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma should not be a cause of worry because study reports show that benign growth of blood vessel mass in liver do not cause liver cancer.

Liver hemangioma and hepatoma are two different things. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), also known as hepatoma is the most common form of liver cancer. Malignant tumors which cause liver cancer are called hepatoma. As mentioned above, people generally do not notice any symptoms of liver hemangioma and the condition is not considered as a serious condition.