Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2009;1(6):281-3.
doi: 10.4274/jcrpe.v1i6.281. Epub 2009 Nov 7.

A rare cause of precocious puberty: hepatoblastoma

Erdal Eren  1 , Metin Demirkaya, Esra D Papatya Çakır, Betül Sevinir, Halil Sağlam, Ömer Tarım
Affiliations
Case Reports

A rare cause of precocious puberty: hepatoblastoma

Erdal Eren et al. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2009.

Abstract

Hepatoblastoma, an embryonal tumor, is one of the most common primary liver tumors in childhood. It secretes human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which can cause precocious puberty (PP). Herein, we present a case with PP who had enlarged penile size noticed during a diagnosis of hepatoblastoma. Laboratory examination revealed increased testosterone, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and hCG levels. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were within prepubertal ranges. The diagnosis of hepatoblastoma was made by liver biopsy. Chemotherapy was administered, and the patient was referred to surgery. Ten months later, testis volumes were below 4 ml bilaterally, and penile length was 5.5 cm. Serum testosterone, AFP, and hCG levels decreased. Resection of the tumor and chemotherapy are essential for the treatment of hepatoblastoma and they can eliminate the symptoms of PP.

Keywords: hepatoblastoma; puberty.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Marked abdominal distention and visible peripheral veins
2
2. Increased testicular volume, penile length, and scrotal hair
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lee PA, Houk CP. Puberty and Its Disorders. In: Lifshitz F, editor. Pediatric Endocrinology. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2007. pp. 273–303.
    1. Litten JB, Tommlinson GE. Liver Tumors in Children. The Oncologist. 2008;13:812–820. - PubMed
    1. Impach P. Hepatic tumors. In: Imbach P, Kühne T, Arceci R, editors. Pediatric Oncology. Berlin: Springer; 2006. pp. 187–191.
    1. Behrle FC, Mantz FA, Olson RL, Trombold JC. Virilization Accompanying Hepatoblastoma. Pediatrics. 1963;32:265–271. - PubMed
    1. Heimann A, White PF, Riely CA, Ritchey AK, Flye MW, Barwick KW. Hepatoblastoma presenting as isosexual precocity. The clinical importance of histologic and serologic parameters. J Clin Gastroenterol. 1987;9:105–110. - PubMed

Publication types