Recent perspectives in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) diagnosis and treatment

Recent advances in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) diagnostic methods,including sensitive and specific biomarkers and computed tomography(CT)/magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) technologies,and therapeutic strategies,such as surgical resection techniques and local ablation methods,have increased the 5-year survival rate of HCC to 63.4%.However,early diagnosis remains a clinical challenge in China,and only 20%~30% of cases are suitable for surgical resection upon diagnosis.To improve early diagnosis rates,screening for serum tumor markers should be increased,along with more frequent ultrasound examinations of high-risk individuals,such as those infected with hepatitis virus.In addition,the high-risk populations should be evaluated by more powerful imaging technologies,such as the three-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and the gadopentetic acid(Gd-DTPA) contrast-enhanced MRI.Upon diagnosis,several aspects of patient management should be enhanced to promote better outcome;specifically,a multidisciplinary consultation approach should be developed to help the patient understand the disease process and healthcare providers to develop effective individualized treatment programs.Collectively,improvements in early diagnosis and patient management will not only help to reduce the rate of late-stage hepatic failure but also improve the overall survival of HCC patients.