title: Epidemiology, screening, diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Globally, over half a million people develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) each year and an almost equal number die of it. Some aspects of HCC remain disappointingly unchanged. For example, hepatitis B infection, for which an effective safe vaccine has been developed, remains responsible for a substantial proportion of cases worldwide. Further, the overall survival of patients with HCC remains very low. Nevertheless, the past few years have witnessed several important advances in our understanding of risk factors, screening, as well as treatment of HCC; these advances may change some of the current realities for HCC. In this paper, we will review the epidemiology, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of HCC with special emphasis on recent developments such the role of fatty liver disease, obesity, and coffee may play in causing HCC, the recent guidelines in screening and diagnosis, and state-of-the-art treatment algorithms.
authors.affiliation: Sections of Gastroenterology and Health Services Research Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: El-Serag
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D014943:Global Health; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008403:Mass Screening; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077157:Sorafenib; D015996:Survival Rate; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D009536:Niacinamide; D000431:Ethanol; D000077157:Sorafenib