Liver tumours and steroid hormones. (Letter to the editor)

A case report of a hepatoma found in a patient who had never received androgen therapy is presented. At the age of 7 years this female patient was considered to have Franconis anemia. She had pancytopenia retarded growth pigmentation syndactyly of the 2nd and 3rd toes and microcephaly. Splenectomy was done at 8 years of age. Transfusions were then given less often and finally discontinued. Later unilateral renal atrophy pubertal failure and dwarfism were present. There was an abnormally high incidence of chromosonal breaks. At age 24 a nodular hepatomegaly was present. A diagnosis of hepatoma was confirmed at necropsy. Also a macronodular cirrhosis and hemochromatosis were present.