Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

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Abstract
Each year 500 000 to 1 million individuals are diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide 1 x [1] Parkin, D.M., Pisani, P., and Ferlay, J. Estimates of the worldwide incidence of 25 major cancers in 1990. Int J Cancer. 1999; 80: 827–841 Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (1734) | Google Scholar See all References 1 . Incidence rates demonstrate dramatic geographic variability, ranging from 100 per 100 000 persons per year in parts of south‐east Asia and sub‐Saharan Africa 2 x [2] Pal, S. and Pande, G.K. Current status of surgery and transplantation in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg. 2001; 8: 323–336 Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (13) | Google Scholar See all References 2 . Although the United States is among regions of low incidence, a 70% increase in HCC has been observed over the past two decades, apparently related to the emergence of chronic hepatitis C 3 x [3] El‐Serag, H.B. and Mason, A.C. Rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States. N Engl J Med. 1999; 340: 745–750 Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (2553) | Google Scholar See all References 3 . The life expectancy of patients with HCC is poor, with a mean survival of 6–20 months and likely reflects the mortality/incidence ratio, which is close to 1 [ 4 x [4] Schafer, D.F. and Sorrell, M.F. Hepatocellular carcinoma. Lancet. 1999; 353: 1253–1257 Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (493) | Google Scholar See all References 4 , 5 x [5] Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) investigators. A new prognostic system for hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective study of 435 patients. Hepatology. 1998; 28: 751–755 Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (940) | Google Scholar See all References 5 ]. These figures have remained steady despite substantial progress in the diagnostic and therapeutic arena of HCC.