Hepatoblastoma

Also known as: Pediatric hepatoblastoma, childhood liver cancer.

What is hepatoblastoma?

A hepatoblastoma is a rare tumor that grows from the cells of the liver. It’s the most common of liver cancers in childhood, occurring during the first 18 months of life (infants to 5 years of age), in mostly white children, boys, and those born prematurely of low birth weight.

What causes hepatoblastoma? 

While the cause is unknown, certain genetic (familial adenomatous polyposis, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome) and other medical conditions can put children at a greater risk of getting hepatoblastoma (e.g. hemihyperplasia, hepatitis B infection, biliary atresia).

What are the signs/symptoms of hepatoblastoma?

Signs and symptoms depend on the size of the tumor and whether or not it has spread. They include:

• a lump in the liver
• a swollen abdomen
• fever
• weight loss
• vomiting
• reduced appetite
• jaundice with yellow skin and eyes
• itchiness and/or pale skin color (anemia)
• back pain

What are hepatoblastoma care options?

Treatments include surgery and one or more types of chemotherapy.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: September 09, 2025 10:24 AM