Current management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common cancers worldwide, continues to increase in incidence in several regions around the world and is associated with poor overall survival. Patients with cirrhosis are at the highest risk and are candidates for surveillance. Wide implementation of surveillance programs and improvement in noninvasive radiologic techniques has led to tumor diagnosis at earlier stages. Surgical options that include resection and liver transplantation offer the best chance of successful outcomes. Locoregional therapies, such as radiofrequency ablation and chemoembolization, provide effective local control in those with acceptable hepatic function. A multikinase inhibitor, sorafenib, is the first molecular targeted oral therapy that has recently been shown to provide a survival benefit in HCC in select patients.