Journal of Liver Cancer

Original Article

Hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea: an analysis of the 2016-2018 Korean Nationwide Cancer Registry: Jihyun An, Young Chang, Gwang Hyeon Choi, Won Sohn, Jeong Eun Song, Hyunjae Shin, Jae Hyun Yoon, Jun Sik Yoon, Hye Young Jang, Eun Ju Cho, Ji Won Han, Suk Kyun Hong, Ju-Yeon Cho, Kyu-Won Jung, Eun Hye Park, Eunyang Kim, Bo Hyun Kim; J Liver Cancer. 2025;25(1):109-122. Published online March 4, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2025.02.20

5,867 Views
153 Downloads
1 Citation

Backgrounds/Aims
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in South Korea. This study evaluated the characteristics of Korean patients newly diagnosed with HCC in 2016-2018.
Methods
Data from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR), a representative database of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in South Korea, were analyzed. This study investigated 4,462 patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR in 2016-2018.
Results
The median patient age was 63 years (interquartile range, 55-72). 79.7% of patients were male. Hepatitis B infection was the most common underlying liver disease (54.5%). The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system classified patients as follows: stage 0 (14.9%), A (28.8%), B (7.5%), C (39.0%), and D (9.8%). The median overall survival was 3.72 years (95% confidence interval, 3.47-4.14), with 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of 71.3%, 54.1%, and 44.3%, respectively. In 2016-2018, there was a significant shift toward BCLC stage 0-A and Child-Turcotte-Pugh liver function class A (P<0.05), although survival rates did not differ by diagnosis year. In the treatment group (n=4,389), the most common initial treatments were transarterial therapy (31.7%), surgical resection (24.9%), best supportive care (18.9%), and local ablation therapy (10.5%).
Conclusions
Between 2016 and 2018, HCC tended to be diagnosed at earlier stages, with better liver function in later years. However, since approximately half of the patients remained diagnosed at an advanced stage, more rigorous and optimized HCC screening strategies should be implemented.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Real-World Treatment Efficacy and Safety Profile of Sofosbuvir- and Velpatasvir-Based HCV Treatment in South Korea: Multicenter Prospective Study
Jae Hyun Yoon, Chang Hun Lee, Hoon Gil Jo, Ju-Yeon Cho, Jin Dong Kim, Jin Won Kim, Ga Ram You, Sung Bum Cho, Sung Kyu Choi
Viruses.2025; 17(7): 949. CrossRef

Review Article

A concise review of updated global guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: 2017-2024: Hyunjae Shin, Su Jong Yu; J Liver Cancer. 2025;25(1):19-30. Published online February 10, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2025.02.03

32,787 Views
1,090 Downloads
18 Citations

Abstract PDF

Many guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been published and are regularly updated worldwide. HCC management involves a broad range of treatment options and requires multidisciplinary care, resulting in significant heterogeneity in management practices across international communities. To support standardized care for HCC, we systematically appraised 13 globally recognized guidelines and expert consensus statements, including five from Asia, four from Europe, and four from the United States. These guidelines share similarities but reveal notable discrepancies in surveillance strategies, treatment allocation, and other recommendations. Geographic differences in tumor biology (e.g., prevalence of viral hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) and disparities in available medical resources (e.g., organ availability, healthcare infrastructure, and treatment accessibility) complicate the creation of universally applicable guidelines. Previously, significant gaps existed between Asian and Western guidelines, particularly regarding treatment strategies. However, these differences have diminished over the years. Presently, variations are often more attributable to publication dates than to regional differences. Nonetheless, Asia-Pacific experts continue to diverge from the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer system, particularly with respect to surgical resection and locoregional therapies, which are viewed as overly conservative in Western guidelines. Advancements in systemic therapies have prompted ongoing updates to these guidelines. Given that each set of guidelines reflects distinct regional characteristics, strengths, and limitations, fostering collaboration and mutual complementarity is essential for addressing discrepancies and advancing global HCC care.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

An Engineered Curcuma longa Starch Nanoparticles: A multi-functional Biomaterial for anti-oxidant, anticancer, Antibacterial and anti-biofilm Agent
Siva Sankar Sana, Ramakrishna Vadde, Chaitany Jayprakash Raorane, Pham Van Hung, Tae Hwan Oh
Journal of Polymers and the Environment.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
A novel link between tumor cell metabolism and patient prognosis: Editorial on “Molecular classification of hepatocellular carcinoma based on zoned metabolic feature and oncogenic signaling pathway”
Eun Ji Jang, Pil Soo Sung
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2026; 32(1): 420. CrossRef
Comparing Two Distal Radial Hemostatic Devices for Radial Artery Patency Post-TACE: A Randomized Trial
Cheng-Chun Lee, Jia-Min Wu, Fen-Ni Tsai, Pao-Chia Chiu, Yu-Chen Chen, Ya-Lan Liang, Jen-I. Hwang, Kuan-Chun Hsueh
CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Improved Detection of Small (<2 cm) Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Deep Learning-Based Synthetic CT Hepatic Arteriography: A Multi-Center External Validation Study
Jung Won Kwak, Sung Bum Cho, Ki Choon Sim, Jeong Woo Kim, In Young Choi, Yongwon Cho
Diagnostics.2026; 16(2): 343. CrossRef
Adjuvant cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: real-world data and 9-year extended follow-up of a randomized controlled trial
Hyunjae Shin, Youngsu Park, Byeong Geun Song, Won-Mook Choi, Hyung Joon Han, Youngwoo Lee, Tae-Jin Song, Jong-Eun Yeon, Young-Suk Lim, Moon Haeng Hur, Yun Bin Lee, Eun Ju Cho, Su Jong Yu, Yoon Jun Kim, Joon Hyeok Lee, Jung-Hwan Yoon, Jeong-Hoon Lee
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Exosomal microRNA‑448 suppresses the malignant behaviors of liver cancer cells by targeting RAB7A and inhibiting glycolysis
Yuankun Chen, Tiantian Zhu, Fang Chen, Mingyue Niu, Haifeng Wu, Qiuping Wu, Zheng Wang, Wenting Li
Oncology Letters.2026; 31(3): 1. CrossRef
Anticancer effects of Chlorella sorokiniana Shihira and R. W. Krauss extract via Bcl-2/Bax modulation and AMPK-α activation in hepatoma cells
Min Ho Han, Min Ho Kang, Youn Seon Hwang, Seung Won Nam, Chang Soo Lee, Jin Woo Kim
Journal of Functional Foods.2026; 137: 107172. CrossRef
Performance of the LI-RADS treatment response algorithm v2024: a systematic review and meta-analysis of response assessment accuracy and non-definitive categories
Mehrad Zare, Alisa Mohebbi, Ali Abdi, Afshin Mohammadi
Abdominal Radiology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Tailored proton beam therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: Addressing unmet needs through a multidisciplinary approach
Jeong Ha Lee, Nalee Kim, Jeong Il Yu, Hee Chul Park, Sungkoo Cho, Byeong Geun Song, Myung Ji Goh, Wonseok Kang, Dong Hyun Sinn, Geum-Youn Gwak, Joon Hyeok Lee, Yong-Han Paik, Moon Seok Choi, Minsuk Kwon, Jung Yong Hong, Gyu-Seong Choi, Woo Kyoung Jeong, M
European Journal of Cancer.2026; 237: 116593. CrossRef
Radiofrequency Ablation Technology in Liver Malignancies: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations
Amirreza Taherkhani, Hoornaz Molana, Mahsa Taremi, Ghader Mohammadnezhad
Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy of the Essential Oil from the Leaves of Annona amazonica R.E. Fries (Annonaceae) Against Liver Cancer
Maria V. L. de Castro, Milena C. F. de Lima, Gabriela A. da C. Barbosa, Sabrine G. Carvalho, Amanda M. R. M. Coelho, Luciano de S. Santos, Valdenizia R. Silva, Rosane B. Dias, Milena B. P. Soares, Emmanoel V. Costa, Daniel P. Bezerra
Molecules.2025; 30(15): 3248. CrossRef
Spectrum of therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma
Hyun Phil Shin, Moonhyung Lee, Jung Won Jeon
Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation.2025; 21(4): 190. CrossRef
Re-evaluating surgical strategies in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-B hepatocellular carcinoma
Ioannis Liapis, Ioannis A Ziogas, Charalampos Theocharopoulos, Dimitrios P Moris, Trevor L Nydam, Ana L Gleisner, Richard D Schulick, Georgios Tsoulfas
World Journal of Hepatology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Predicting early progression to atezolizumab–bevacizumab in hepatocellular carcinoma: a clinical and imaging-based scoring system
Jae Hyon Park, Myung Ji Goh, Dong Hyun Sinn, Jaeseung Shin, Hyungjin Rhee
European Radiology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Unraveling the role of flotillin-1 in driving hepatocellular carcinoma progression through transcription factor E3-mediated Golgi stress response
Chiara Mazziotta, John Charles Rotondo
World Journal of Gastroenterology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
The synergistic action of HDAC inhibitor with cisplatin impedes survival and proliferation of drug-tolerant persister in gastric and liver cancer cells
Anjali Singh, Abhiram Natu, Flevia Anthony, Hemalatha Muthu, Bharat Khade, Duane T. Smoot, Hassan Ashktorab, Sanjay Gupta
Clinical Epigenetics.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Repurposing HIV-Protease Inhibitor Precursors as Anticancer Agents: The Synthetic Molecule RDD-142 Delays Cell Cycle Progression and Induces Autophagy in HepG2 Cells with Enhanced Efficacy via Liposomal Formulation
Fabiana Crispo, Antonio Vassallo, Immacolata Faraone, Alessandro Santarsiere, Lucia Chiummiento, Mara Martinelli, Nicoletta Cascelli, Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets, Rocchina Miglionico, Ilaria Nigro, Carla Caddeo, Maria Francesca Armentano
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2025; 26(21): 10305. CrossRef
Angiography-Assisted Cone-Beam CT-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Single-Center Workflow and Early Outcomes
Jung Ui Hong, Soon Gu Cho, Kyu Hong Lee, Ji Hoon Noh, Ro Woon Lee
Diagnostics.2025; 15(22): 2898. CrossRef

Original Article

Comparison of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: Jeayeon Park, Yun Bin Lee, Yunmi Ko, Youngsu Park, Hyunjae Shin, Moon Haeng Hur, Min Kyung Park, Dae-Won Lee, Eun Ju Cho, Kyung-Hun Lee, Jeong-Hoon Lee, Su Jong Yu, Tae-Yong Kim, Yoon Jun Kim, Tae-You Kim, Jung-Hwan Yoon; J Liver Cancer. 2024;24(1):81-91. Published online January 19, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2023.12.25

8,871 Views
295 Downloads
11 Citations

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Background/Aim
Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib are currently available as first-line therapy for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, comparative efficacy studies are still limited. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these treatments in HCC patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).
Methods
We retrospectively included patients who received either atezolizumab plus bevacizumab or lenvatinib as first-line systemic therapy for HCC with PVTT. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and secondary endpoints included progressionfree survival (PFS) and disease control rate (DCR) determined by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, version 1.1.
Results
A total of 52 patients were included: 30 received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 22 received lenvatinib. The median follow-up duration was 6.4 months (interquartile range, 3.9-9.8). The median OS was 10.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7 to not estimated) with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 5.8 months (95% CI, 4.8 to not estimated) with lenvatinib (P=0.26 by log-rank test). There was no statistically significant difference in OS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.34-1.49; P=0.37). The median PFS was similar (P=0.63 by log-rank test), with 4.1 months (95% CI, 3.3-7.7) for atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 4.3 months (95% CI, 2.6-5.8) for lenvatinib (aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.51-1.69; P=0.80). HRs were similar after inverse probability treatment weighting. The DCRs were 23.3% and 18.2% in patients receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib, respectively (P=0.74).
Conclusion
The effectiveness of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib was comparable for the treatment of HCC with PVTT.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Role of Liver Function in the Multiparametric Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Fabio Melandro, Leonardo Centonze, Ciro Celsa, Simone Famularo, Davide Ghinolfi, Silvia Nardelli, Maria Pallozzi, Ludovico Abenavoli, Fabrizio Romano, Francesca Romana Ponziani, Francesco Paolo Russo, Quirino Lai
Medicina.2026; 62(1): 138. CrossRef
Combined Transarterial Chemoembolization and External Beam Radiotherapy for Identifying Surgical Candidates for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Macroscopic Vascular Invasion: A Propensity Score–Weighted Analysis
Sumin Lee, Jinhong Jung, Jonggi Choi, So Yeon Kim, Jin Hyoung Kim, Danbi Lee, Ju Hyun Shim, Kang Mo Kim, Young-Suk Lim, Han Chu Lee, Gi-Won Song, Jin-hong Park, Sang Min Yoon
Cancer Research and Treatment.2026; 58(1): 275. CrossRef
Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumour Thrombosis: From Poor Prognosis to Curative-Intent Strategies
Luca Marzi, Rodolfo Sacco, Luisa Siciliani, Saveria Lory Crocè, Mauro Giuffrè, Cristina Stasi, Chiara Turri, Monica Zoeschg, Andrea Mega
Cancers.2026; 18(4): 627. CrossRef
Management strategies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis
Jeayeon Park, Su Jong Yu
The Ewha Medical Journal.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Case Report: Tumor lysis syndrome in advanced, massive hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein invasion following atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy
Tien-Shin Chou, Chun-Feng Wu, Chih-Lang Lin, Chao-Wei Hsu
Frontiers in Oncology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Locoregional therapy combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Mengjie Jiang, Chao Chen, Yujie Hu, Gang Lin, Huafeng Li
Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Liver Resection versus Targeted Therapy Plus PD-1 Inhibitors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Type I-II Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: A Comparative Study
Liang Li, Zhenli Li, Yibing Zhang, Shuaishuai Zhu, Yuanzhi Ni, Lindi Xu, Shixing Yan, Yufu Tang
Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.2025; Volume 12: 2745. CrossRef
Prognostic Significance of Glypican-3 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab
Ji Hoon Kim, Ji Won Han, Hee Sun Cho, Jeong Won Jang, Kwon Yong Tak, Pil Soo Sung
Cancers.2025; 17(24): 3967. CrossRef
Portal vein tumor thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: Is it the end?
Walaa Abdelhamed, Hend Shousha, Mohamed El-Kassas
Liver Research.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Reappraisal of transarterial radioembolization for liver-confined hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: Editorial on “Transarterial radioembolization versus tyrosine kinase inhibitor in hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein throm
Jin Hyoung Kim, Gun Ha Kim, Dong Il Gwon
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2024; 30(4): 659. CrossRef
Current perspectives on the pharmacological treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a narrative review
Hye-Jin Yoo, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Sang Gyune Kim, Young Seok Kim
The Ewha Medical Journal.2024;[Epub] CrossRef

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search