Clinical and pathological analysis of five cases of hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasms
Zhang Ying, Zhao Dongxue, Jia Fan, Zhang Yungang
2026, 13(1):
28-32.
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Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and pathological features of mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver (MCN-L), and to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis , differential diagnosis and individualized treatment of this disease.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 5 MCN-L patients who underwent surgical treatment at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital from January 2013 to December 2025.The clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics were summarized, and postoperative prognosis and tumor recurrence were followed up.
Results: All 5 patients were female, aged 39 to 61 years (median age: 44 years). The main clinical manifestations were abdominal distension, abdominal discomfort, or pain; one case was incidentally discovered during a physical examination. Imaging examinations all suggested intrahepatic cystic space-occupying lesions, mostly presenting as unilocular or multilocular cystic lesions, with some showing septa, calcification, and cystic wall enhancement. Laboratory tests showed elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels in 3 cases, with no significant abnormalities in other tumor markers. Gross pathological examination: All tumors were cystic, measuring 3.0 to 16.1 cm in size, containing yellowish-brown viscous fluid or clear fluid, with some showing multilocular changes. Microscopic findings: The cyst walls were lined by a single layer of cuboidal to columnar mucinous epithelium, with epithelial cells showing no significant atypia or accompanied by low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Characteristic ovarian-type stroma was observed beneath the epithelium. All 5 patients underwent surgical resection. Follow-up to date shows all patients are alive; however, 2 patients were found to have recurrence on CT re-examination at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively, respectively.
Conclusions: Mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver predominantly occurs in middle-aged women. Imaging often reveals intrahepatic cystic lesions. Its pathological hallmark is a mucinous epithelial-lined cyst with ovarian-type stroma. Pathological examination remains the gold standard for definitive diagnosis. Complete surgical resection is the primary treatment, offering a favorable prognosis. However, some patients may experience postoperative recurrence, necessitating long-term follow-up.
