Hepatocellular carcinoma: updates in primary prevention.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a significant cause of mortality worldwide and a growing problem in the United States. Treatment options are often limited, and median survival is less than 1 year. Thus, prevention may provide the best opportunity to alter the natural history of this disease. Primary prevention is best exemplified by the successes of such public health measures as universal hepatitis B vaccination. Such antiviral therapies as interferon may also have a role. Lessons can be learned from complementary and alternative medicine. Nevertheless, more work is needed in understanding hepatocarcinogenesis and in developing models to assess potential chemopreventive agents.
Fecht
Will J
WJ
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 3635 Vista at Grand Avenue FDT 9S, St. Louis, MO 63110-0250, USA. fechtwj@slu.edu
Befeler
Alex S
AS
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000009:adverse effects; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000348:Aflatoxins