title: Years of life that could be saved from prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes premature death and loss of life expectancy worldwide. Its primary and secondary prevention can result in a significant number of years of life saved.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess how many years of life are lost after HCC diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 5346 patients with first HCC diagnosis were used to estimate lifespan and number of years of life lost after tumour onset, using a semi-parametric extrapolation having as reference an age-, sex- and year-of-onset-matched population derived from national life tables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1986 and 2014, HCC lead to an average of 11.5 years-of-life lost for each patient. The youngest age-quartile group (18-61 years) had the highest number of years-of-life lost, representing approximately 41% of the overall benefit obtainable from prevention. Advancements in HCC management have progressively reduced the number of years-of-life lost from 12.6 years in 1986-1999, to 10.7 in 2000-2006 and 7.4 years in 2007-2014. Currently, an HCC diagnosis when a single tumour <2 cm results in 3.7 years-of-life lost while the diagnosis when a single tumour ≥ 2 cm or 2/3 nodules still within the Milan criteria, results in 5.0 years-of-life lost, representing the loss of only approximately 5.5% and 7.2%, respectively, of the entire lifespan from birth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence results in the loss of a considerable number of years-of-life, especially for younger patients. In recent years, the increased possibility of effectively treating this tumour has improved life expectancy, thus reducing years-of-life lost.
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: A
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5269-1964
authors: A
authors: Cucchetti
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Trevisani
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Bucci
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ravaioli
authors: Padova, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Farinati
authors: Genova, Italy.
authors: E G
authors: EG
authors: Giannini
authors: Zingonia, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Ciccarese
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Piscaglia
authors: Rome, Italy.
authors: G L
authors: GL
authors: Rapaccini
authors: Seriate, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Di Marco
authors: Viterbo, Italy.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Caturelli
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zoli
authors: Milan, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Borzio
authors: Pisa, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Sacco
authors: Palermo, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Maida
authors: Bolzano, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Felder
authors: Napoli, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Morisco
authors: Rome, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gasbarrini
authors: Ancona, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Gemini
authors: Faenza, Italy.
authors: F G
authors: FG
authors: Foschi
authors: Parma, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Missale
authors: Negrar, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Masotto
authors: Palermo, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Affronti
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bernardi
authors: Bologna, Italy.
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Pinna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000639:trends*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000639:trends; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult