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 the blood vessels get twisted and tangled in the liver to form a non-cancerous mass, the condition is known as liver/hepatic/cavernous hemangioma.

This mass is benign, and in majority of the cases, doesn't affect the liver functioning. Therefore, normally, no symptoms are noticed. Increase in the size of the hemangiomas in the liver, leading to some health complications, is very rarely noticed.

Scientists are still researching to find out the exact cause of this disorder. Surprisingly, 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 show that women are more likely to develop this condition as compared to men. Though in majority of cases, these do not exhibit any symptoms, in a few cases, when they become quite large, some symptoms can be experienced.

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 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.

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

The condition can lead to complications during pregnancy. Higher levels of estrogen during pregnancy may promote the growth of blood vessel mass in liver. Enlargement of the 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 may 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 the 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, and the condition is not considered to be serious.