Current treatment modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary surgery
• Surgical oncology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent global malignancy with significant mortality.
• Risk factors for HCC are known, and early detection is critical for effective management.
• While surgical resection has been standard, novel therapeutic approaches are emerging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate current treatment modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
• To assess the efficacy and limitations of existing and emerging HCC therapies.
• To identify areas for future research in HCC treatment.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review of available treatment modalities for HCC.
• Analysis of survival rates and prognostic factors associated with surgical resection.
• Evaluation of newer therapies like transarterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection.

Main Results:

• Surgical resection achieves up to 45% 5-year survival, particularly for small, well-differentiated, unifocal tumors without vascular invasion or cirrhosis.
• Resection is limited by low resectability rates and disease recurrence.
• Transarterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection show promise but lack prospective randomized trials. Other therapies have limited palliative roles.

Conclusions:

• Partial or total hepatectomy (surgical resection) remains the primary treatment for HCC.
• Screening high-risk populations for early tumor detection is essential.
• Randomized trials investigating combinations of chemotherapy and surgical resection are needed to confirm their therapeutic potential.