title: Status of hepatocellular cancer in Europe.
abstract: Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) accounts for 47,000 deaths per year in Europe and the incidence is expected to increase over the next 10-15 years. The highest incidence is found in Southern Europe, mainly attributable to chronic hepatitis C infection. The most widely used staging system used is the Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification according to which, 30-40% patients are suitable for potentially curative therapies including transplantation, resection or ablative therapy while the remainder are offered palliative therapy with transarterial therapy, systemic therapy or supportive care. Here we review the indications and outcomes of these interventions as applied to the European population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Childs
authors.affiliation: The Royal Free Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2QG, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Beirne
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3 2QG, UCL Cancer Institute, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meyer
keywords: Europe; Hepatocellular cancer (HCC); ablative therapy; liver resection; liver transplantation; transarterial therapy