A histopathologic comparative study of European cases of fibrolamellar carcinoma and Japanese cases of sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma

Ten fibrolamellar carcinomas (FLCs), 3 FLC-like cancers, and 5 cases of a sclerosing hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) were examined clinicopathologically. The FLCs were found in young people in an equal sex ratio and showed no indications of an HBsAg, AFP, or cirrhosis. FLC cancer cell showed a large eosinophilic cytoplasm and prominent nucleoli. SHCCs were found in middle-aged people, male-predominant, and often positive for HBsAg and AFP. Cancer cells of the SHCC type showed less eosinophilic small cytoplasms and inconspicuous nucleoli. Although these two types are fairly distinctive entities, there were a few still unclassified HCCs with fibrous stroma. Further precise criteria would seem to be required for an accurate diagnosis of FLC.