Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Local tumor control is still the most important consideration in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Surgical treatments, including liver resection and liver transplantation are, and will remain, the first-line therapeutic strategies for local control in patients with primary HCC. Although aggressive liver resection is often performed for advanced HCC in patients with a large tumor, multiple tumors, or tumors with vascular invasion, liver transplantation is the preferred option, after taking into consideration age and tumor-related factors, when there is poor liver functional reserve. Preventing deterioration in liver function is the second priority in the treatment of HCC. When performing liver resection, extensive removal of noncancerous liver parenchyma during lobectomy or hemihepatectomy, should be avoided as much as possible. Anatomic resection, which refers to systematic elimination of the main tumor with its minute metastases, preserves liver function and is highly recommended. A treatment algorithm based on published evidence is now available, which helps us decide on the most suitable therapeutic option for individual patients, depending on the tumor characteristics and liver functional reserve.