The British journal of surgery
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Imaging occasionally fails to differentiate hepatic simple cysts from malignant or premalignant mucinous cystic lesions such as biliary cystadenomas. Hepatic simple cysts can be treated conservatively, whereas malignant or premalignant cysts require complete resection. This study assessed the ability of intracystic tumour marker concentrations to differentiate these disease entities. ⋯ The concentration of TAG-72 in cyst fluid accurately identified hepatic cysts that required complete resection.