hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare hepatic vascular tumor. Weiss and Ensinger first described it as an endothelial cell tumor of superficial or deep soft tissues. Similar tumors in the lung were originally called intravascular bronchioloalveolar tumors. It was initially considered a metastatic tumor in the liver until Ishak later discovered it to be a primary hepatic tumor. The tumor grows slowly with variable prognosis. Biologically, it is a borderline tumor, between benign hemangioma and malignant angiosarcoma. There is no history of toxic substance exposure or hepatitis virus infection. It is not associated with cirrhosis, and metastasis is often present at initial diagnosis.