ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK: (8/28/05) Hemangiomas are the most common benign tumors of the liver.The name hemangioma derives from the fact that these tumors are filled with heme (blood). They have no malignant potential and may occur in a person with or without underlying liver disease. Hemangiomas occur in the liver in approximately 10 percent of the population, and are usually detected by chance during a sonogram or CT scan performed for the evaluation of an unrelated medical condition. Hemangiomas are more common in women, but can also be found in men, and can occur at any age.Typically, an individual who harbors a liver hemangioma will not even be aware of it, as these tumors are usually asymptomatic. Some researchers believe that excess estrogen can cause hemangiomas to grow. In fact, growth of hemangiomas has been observed in some women during pregnancy, and in others while taking birth control pills. Furthermore, these people may be at increased risk for rupture. Although the effect of estrogen on hemangiomas is not conclusive, it is advisable for people with hemangiomas to stay off birth control pills and all other forms of estrogen replacement. In the United States, metastatic tumors are the most common malignancies that occur in the liver. A metastatic liver tumor is a cancer that originally started in an organ other than the liver (known as the primary organ), and then spread to the liver.

Dr. Palmer is an internationally renowned hepatologist who has been practicing medicine since 1985. She maintains perhaps the largest private medical practice devoted to liver disease in the United States. Dr. Palmer graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and was trained in hepatology (as well as medical school) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. She has authored numerous scientific publications in the field of hepatology in such peer-reviewed journals as Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Seminars of Liver Disease, Transplantation and Archives of Internal Medicine.

She is frequently called upon by the media for her opinion on various topics related to liver disease. Dr. Palmer has appeared many times on television as a liver disease expert and has been quoted in such publications as TIME magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Prevention magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. She also has appeared in numerous videos and CD-Roms aimed at educating doctors and the public about hepatitis C and other liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis.Dr. Palmer lectures to the medical and general public on liver disease-related topics on a regular basis. She also serves as a liver consultant to five major pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Palmer is a board member of the New York chapter of the American Liver Foundation, and she sits on the nutrition subcommittee of the national chapter of the American Liver Foundation, the medical advisory board of the Latino Organization for Liver Awareness (LOLA) and the medical advisory board of the Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Organization (PBCers). She has also been a member of the practice guidelines committee of the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease(AASLD) and currently sits on the enduring educational materials committee of AASLD.

Dr. Palmer has performed trials on various experimental medication for the treatment of hepatitis. She is currently conducting research on new therapies for liver disease, specifically in the area of hepatitis C.

Her practice is located on Long Island, New York. (Main office located at: 1097 Old Country Road, Suite 104, Plainview, N.Y. 11803.

Satellite office located at 500 Portion Rd. Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y. 11779)

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If you are interested in arranging an appointment with Melissa Palmer, M.D., please call (516) 939-2626.

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