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Causes of Liver Hemangioma

Reddened and raised birthmarks are hemangiomas, caused by the rapid production of blood vessels. These benign tumors can also appear on the liver of an adult, although the exact reason for the overproduction of blood vessels in both hemangioma and liver hemangioma is not known.

  1. Theories/Speculation

    • It is believed by some doctors that individuals are born with the liver hemangioma rather than it being formed later due to other factors. There is no official statistical evidence at this time to support the thesis that it is congenital, though; however, it is important to note that hemangiomas on the face and head are typically only experienced by newborn babies who are only a couple of months old.

      Another theory is that liver hemangiomas are influenced by hormones, but this has not been proven either. Therefore, at present, there is no known cause for the overproduction of the blood vessels that result in this condition.

    Size

    • The size of the blood vessels that form the tumor known as hemangioma are generally no more than two inches in width, however they can be larger. Also, while typically only one group of blood vessels make up the hemangioma, there are instances when more than one group of these blood vessels occurs in the hemangioma.

    Signs and Symptoms

    • Generally, there are no signs or symptoms from this condition. When symptoms are experienced they can include a feeling of fullness even if a small meal was eaten, lack of a desire to eat, upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

    Age and Sex Factors

    • Liver hemangiomas are typically experienced and diagnosed in older individuals (30 to 50 years old), whereas only infants are usually diagnosed with hemangiomas. But like infant hemangioma, liver hemangioma is predominantly more common in women than men, lending support to the hypothesis that hormones do play a role in liver hemangioma.

    Pregnancy and Liver Hemangioma

    • While it isn't impossible to become pregnant or to carry a child while having liver hemangioma, there are risks involved since the hormone estrogen may influence the size of the liver hemangioma. This is merely one more example of the possible role that hormones may play in the cause of this condition.

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