Liver cancer in Korea

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Oncology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant cancer and the third leading cause of death in Korea.
• It disproportionately affects men in their sixth to seventh decades, with high incidence and mortality rates.
• Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor, linked to high carrier rates in the Korean population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the critical need for early detection of HCC due to limited survival improvements with current treatments.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of screening and surveillance programs in facilitating early HCC detection.
• To assess the potential of these programs in increasing the applicability of curative treatments for HCC.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of institutional data over the past 10 years.
• Comparison of clinical outcomes based on screening and surveillance program participation.
• Evaluation of HCC incidence, mortality, and risk factors (HBV, HCV) in the Korean population.

Main Results:

• Despite advances in HCC management, overall survival rates have shown minimal improvement over two decades.
• A significant proportion of HCC patients test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (65-75%) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (10-20%).
• Screening and surveillance programs show promise in enabling earlier detection of HCC.

Conclusions:

• Early detection of HCC is paramount due to the limited efficacy of current treatments in improving long-term survival.
• Screening and surveillance programs are vital for identifying HCC at earlier, more treatable stages.
• These programs can potentially increase the number of patients eligible for curative therapies, thereby improving outcomes for HCC patients in Korea.