Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global health problem due to its increasing incidence and high lethality [1]. In fact, HCC is the third most common cause of cancer deaths and the leading complication in patients with cirrhosis [2]. The rising incidence poses challenges to the clinician since the majority of patients present with advanced disease when they are no longer candidates for a definitive cure. Further, the coexistence of cirrhosis and HCC adds two competing causes of death, each one critical to consider since both influence management. Unfortunately, only 5–37% of HCC patients are actually eligible for curative treatments with orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) or surgical resection [3, 4]. When curative treatments are no longer options due to advanced-stage disease, the treatment options are limited. However, we have had some recent advances in the treatment of unresectable HCC with the advent of novel locoregional and targeted systemic therapy [5–7]. The clinical success of the oral multikinase inhibitor sorafenib, showing a survival benefit in the management of advanced HCC, has opened the floodgates of research in the field of molecular-targeted therapies for HCC. These recent advances in treatment, along with surveillance programs, will lead to improved overall survival for our patients with HCC [8]. In this chapter, we review the major recent advancements and emerging therapies being evaluated for the treatment of HCC.
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Dhanasekaran, R., Cabrera, R. (2012). Emerging Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. In: Reau, N., Poordad, F. (eds) Primary Liver Cancer. Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-863-4_14
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