Aside from a mildly elevated gamma glutamyl transpeptidase level, liver tests and tumor markers were all normal. MHL, mesenchymal hamartoma

of the liver. The histopathological investigation of a diagnostic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy and the following hepatic lobectomy showed a replacement of liver parenchyma by loose myxoid mesenchymal stroma with a proliferation of abnormal bile ducts. Only residual cords and islands of hepatocytes were embedded in the lesion (Fig. 2A-C). The tumor was completely removed (marginal resection). Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL) is a benign liver tumor with a poorly understood pathogenesis.1, 2 Although rare, it is the second most common Pexidartinib chemical structure benign liver tumor in children, encompassing 3%-8% of all childhood liver tumors.3 The vast majority of MHLs are diagnosed before the first

5 years of life3 and they are rarely seen in adults. MHL can sometimes even be recognized in utero.1 Usually, the lesion grows as a painless mass of the right lobe and symptoms are related to large tumor size. The majority of MHLs are cystic tumors, but some MHLs are solid.3-5 Imaging findings on contrast-enhanced computed tomography are absence of a tumor capsule and a weak heterogeneous enhancement in solid areas, which is nonspecific but different from liver adenomas and focal nodular hyperplasia4 (Table 1). Thus, the clinical diagnosis of MHL is quite challenging, especially in adult patients (Table 1). The histopathology of this lesion Selleckchem CB-839 is usually straightforward and is characterized by a lack of a fibrous pseudocapsule of the tumor, the replacement of the liver parenchyma by loose fibrous or myxoid stroma, the occurrence of irregular bile ducts, and the detection of cords or islands of residual hepatocytes, especially at the periphery.1, 3, 5 Hepatic lobectomy or enucleation is the treatment of MCE choice. Recurrences of MHL are unusual. “
“We read the article

by Núñez with great interest.1 In the literature, three cases who were positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were described with hepatitis B reactivation after withdrawal of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-active drug due to the virologic failure of HIV. All three of the patients were positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc).2, 3 The HBV reactivations could be controlled by highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens including lamivudine and tenofovir in the first patient,2 tenofovir/emtricitabine in the second patient,3 and without any HBV-active drug in the third patient.2 The author’s concerns were mostly based on economics. However, without knowing the HBV DNA presence, we should get some different recommendations for clinicians, such as choosing an HBV-active drug in all anti-HBc–positive patients with HIV.