Hepatomas or Hemangiomas?

  I was diagnosed last year with a 3cm hemangioma in the right lobe of my liver. Since then it has also been called a HEPATOMA. Is there a difference in the two names? I was also told the this disorder you can sometimes be born with it and not diagnosed until later in life, and the it remains to be asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) , if this is the case, why do I have constant pain in the upper right quadrant of my belly, and sometimes am faced with attacks similar to those of gallstones? ( I so not have a gallbladder).  The specialist says that it should remain "silent" until it either grows in size or bleeds before they can interfere. Are there any symptoms of a hemangiona/hepatoma? and is there anything that they can do ?
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Dear Maria,
There is a major difference between hemangioma and hepatoma.  Hemangioma refers to a BENIGN tumor of blood vessels.  Often present at birth, this condition is usually asymptomatic and is detected coincidental to the investigation of another problem.  Large hemangiomas can cause abdominal pain or internal bleeding.
In contrast, to the benign nature of hemangioma, HEPATOMA REFERS TO A MALIGNANT TUMOR i.e. CANCER OF THE LIVER.  Based on the information that you provide, I would assume that your condition is hemangioma.
Your hemangioma is not big enough for me to attribute abdominal pain to this condition.  I suggest that you discuss with your physician the initiation of other investigations to look for nonliver causes of your pain.
This information is presented for educational purposes only.  Always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: hemangioma, hepatoma, abdominal pain
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