Current status of surgery and transplantation in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview

Abstract.

Despite many therapeutic advances in the field of hepatocellular carcinoma over the past two decades, this disease continues to be a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This review focuses on the recent advances in surgical technique, perioperative management, and transplantation of cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver resection continues to be the mainstay of curative treatment in noncirrhotic patients and selected cirrhotic patients with small tumors and preserved liver function. Transplantation should be advocated for patients with poor liver function and localized lesions or for patients with large fibrolamellar carcinomas that are otherwise unresectable. Surgery has a definite role in the management of hepatic recurrences in the absence of systemic dissemination. Newer advances in the therapeutic armamentarium, such as cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, microwave coagulation, and ethanol injections are discussed, and their overall efficacy assessed.