Living with Hepatoblastoma
A rare cancerous liver tumor that mostly affects young children.
Understanding Hepatoblastoma
In early stages there may be no clear symptoms. As the tumor grows, a child may have a painful belly lump or swelling, weight loss, loss of appetite, and nausea and vomiting. It appears from birth through childhood.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from child to child. GARD describes these signs:
- Painful lump in the belly
- Swollen belly
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include cancer specialists and digestive system specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
- 4Connect with expert centers
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Cancer specialists (oncologists); Digestive system specialists (gastroenterologists)
- Expert care
- Expert lists: Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and other patient organizations
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
GARD says the exact cause is poorly understood. Risk factors include being born early at a very low birth weight, early exposure to hepatitis B, biliary atresia, and some genetic conditions.
Also known as: embryonal hepatoma; hbl; hbl - hepatoblastoma; hepatoblastoma of liver; hepatoblastoma, malignant; paediatric embryonal hepatoma
Patient organizations
- Alex's Lemonade Stand FoundationHepatoblastoma · United States
- American Cancer SocietyHepatoblastoma · United States
- Cancer Hope NetworkHepatoblastoma · United States
- Cancer Support CommunityHepatoblastoma · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Hepatoblastoma.
Explore research for Hepatoblastoma
Explore actively recruiting Hepatoblastoma studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Hepatoblastoma with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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