Clinical practice guideline and real-life practice in hepatocellular carcinoma: A Korean perspective

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Oncology
• Clinical Practice Guidelines

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a significant global health challenge, particularly in South Korea.
• Existing practice guidelines aim to standardize HCC management.
• Discrepancies often exist between established guidelines and actual clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key recommendations from the 2022 Korean practice guidelines for HCC management.
• To examine the current clinical landscape of HCC treatment in South Korea.
• To identify strategies for bridging the gap between guideline recommendations and real-world patient care.

Main Methods:

• Review of the 2022 Korean Liver Cancer Association and National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee guidelines.
• Analysis of real-world clinical data and practices in South Korea concerning HCC.
• Comparative discussion of guideline-based versus actual clinical approaches.

Main Results:

• Key recommendations from the 2022 HCC guidelines are presented.
• The current clinical situation for HCC management in South Korea is described.
• Specific areas where clinical practice deviates from guidelines are highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Aligning clinical practice with updated HCC guidelines is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
• Addressing the identified discrepancies requires targeted interventions and education.
• Continued efforts are needed to ensure evidence-based care for HCC patients in South Korea.