In the study, researchers from Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, reviewed records for patients who were diagnosed with a hepatic adenoma of at least 5 cm and followed for at least 6 months after oral contraceptives were stopped.
Of that group, 104 underwent surgical treatment for a lesion larger than 5 cm, while the remaining 86 were conservatively treated.
The researchers found that in the conservatively treated group, 61 lesions (71%) regressed below the 5-cm cutoff after a median of 85 weeks (95% confidence interval, 52-110 weeks), with larger lesions taking significantly longer to regress.
Based on those findings, the investigators said the 6-month cutoff may lead to overtreatment, and that for some patients with particularly large tumors, it may be justified to wait up to 24 months.
