title: Are hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance programs effective at improving the therapeutic options.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate whether the current surveillance programs (ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein testing every six months) are successful in detecting patients in the early stages.
  
  
  METHODS
  the health records of all patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in Donostia Hospital between 2003 and 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. Eighty-five patients (11 women and 74 men) were included in the study and demographic data, risk factors and clinical data were obtained. Patients were split into two groups according to whether or not they had been included in a surveillance program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  seventy per cent of patients of the surveillance group is diagnosed in early stage opposite to 26.7% of patients in no surveillance group (p < 0.05). Thirteen patients cannot receive curative treatment in spite of the diagnosis in early stage (9 in the surveillance group and 4 in the no surveillance group. The global sensibility of the surveillance program in our series is 95%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  current hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance programs, which comprise six-monthly ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein tests, are highly sensitive and effective. These programs result in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in its early-stages, when potentially curative treatment may be offered.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Gastroenterology, Hospital de Mendaro, Barrio Mendarozabal, s/n. 20850 Mendaro, Gipúzcoa, Spain. evingerzap@yahoo.es
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zubiaurre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castiella
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Bengoechea
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esandi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arriola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beguiristain
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garmendia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orcolaga
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Alustiza
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins