Journal of Liver Cancer

Original Articles

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

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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

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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

Evolving trends in treatment patterns for hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea from 2008 to 2022: a nationwide population-based study: Ji Won Han, Won Sohn, Gwang Hyeon Choi, Jeong Won Jang, Gi Hyeon Seo, Bo Hyun Kim, Jong Young Choi; J Liver Cancer. 2024;24(2):274-285. Published online August 26, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2024.08.13

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200 Downloads
14 Citations

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Backgrounds/Aims
The treatment landscape for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has significantly evolved over the past decade. We aimed to analyze trends in treatment patterns for HCC using a nationwide claims database from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
Methods
This retrospective population-based cohort study analyzed 171,002 newly diagnosed HCC patients between 2008 and 2022. Etiologies and treatment modalities were categorized based on the ICD-10 codes and insurance data.
Results
The annual incidence decreased from 11,814 in 2008 to 10,443 in 2022. However, patients aged ≥70 increased noticeably, with those aged ≥80 rising from 3.8% in 2008 to 13.1% in 2022. From 2008 to 2022, the predominant cause of hepatitis B virus decreased from 68.9% to 59.7%, whereas nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increased from 8.9% to 15.8%. The initial treatment trends shifted: surgical resection and systemic therapy increased from 12.2% to 21.3% and from 0.2% to 9.6%, whereas transarterial therapy decreased from 49.9% to 36.6%. Best supportive care decreased from 31.7% to 21.3%. In the subgroup analysis, laparoscopic resection rate increased from 10.6% to 60.6% among the surgical resections. Sorafenib initially accounted for 100%, lenvatinib peaked at 36.5% in 2021, and atezolizumab-bevacizumab became the most widely used (63.1%) by 2022 among the systemic therapies.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates the temporal changes in the treatment patterns of Korean HCC patients. Surgical resection, particularly laparoscopic liver resection, and systemic therapy has increased significantly. These changes may have been influenced by reimbursement policies and advances in clinical research.

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Correspondence to editorial on “Evolving trends in epidemiology, etiology, and treatment patterns for hepatocellular carcinoma in South Korea”
Ji Won Han, Bo Hyun Kim
Journal of Liver Cancer.2025; 25(1): 7. CrossRef
Evolving trends in epidemiology, etiology, and treatment patterns for hepatocellular carcinoma in South Korea
Soo Young Hwang, Ju Dong Yang
Journal of Liver Cancer.2025; 25(1): 4. CrossRef
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
Journal of Liver Cancer.2025; 25(1): 109. CrossRef
All-cause and disease-specific mortality in young adults with MASLD: A nationwide cohort study
Jeayeon Park, Goh Eun Chung, Su Jong Yu, Yoon Jun Kim, Jung-Hwan Yoon, Kyungdo Han, Eun Ju Cho
JHEP Reports.2025; 7(9): 101477. CrossRef
Novel Immunotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hyun Bin Choi, Jeong-Ju Yoo
The Korean Journal of Medicine.2025; 100(3): 102. CrossRef
Peripheral blood inflammatory score using a cytokine multiplex assay predicts clinical outcomes in patients treated with atezolizumab-bevacizumab for unresectable HCC
Hee Sun Cho, Soon Kyu Lee, Ji Won Han, Jung Hyun Kwon, Soon Woo Nam, Jaejun Lee, Keungmo Yang, Pil Soo Sung, Jeong Won Jang, Seung Kew Yoon, Jong Young Choi
Frontiers in Immunology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
The PNPLA3 I148M variant is associated with immune cell infiltration and advanced fibrosis in MASLD: a prospective genotype–phenotype study
Jaejun Lee, Jung Hoon Cha, Hee Sun Cho, Keungmo Yang, Hyun Yang, Heechul Nam, Mi Young Byun, Seok Keun Cho, Jinsung Park, Hyuk Wan Ko, Seong Wook Yang, Pil Soo Sung, Si Hyun Bae
Journal of Gastroenterology.2025; 60(10): 1284. CrossRef
Expert survey on systemic therapy indications for hepatocellular carcinoma in Korea: bridging clinical practice and reimbursement criteria
Hyun Yang, Soon Sun Kim, Seong Hee Kang, Jieun Kwon, Do Young Kim, Eunju Kim, Hyun Phil Shin, Jeong Il Yu, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Eileen L. Yoon, Sangheun Lee, Young Eun Chon, Janghan Jung, Jaekyung Cheon, Woosun Choi, Seul Ki Han, Ji Eun Han, Moon Haeng Hur, Hyun
Journal of Liver Cancer.2025; 25(2): 160. CrossRef
Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: an expert consensus-based practical recommendation from the Korean Liver Cancer Association
Min-Su Park, Jai Young Cho, Eunju Kim, Hee Young Na, YoungRok Choi, Na Reum Kim, Young-In Yoon, Boram Lee, Eun Sun Jang, Yun Kyung Jung, Kyung Sik Kim
Journal of Liver Cancer.2025; 25(2): 140. CrossRef
Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: an expert consensus-based practical recommendation from the Korean Liver Cancer Association
Min-Su Park, Jai Young Cho, Eunju Kim, Hee Young Na, YoungRok Choi, Na Reum Ki, Young-In Yoon, Boram Lee, Eun Sun Jang, Yun Kyung Jung, Kyung Sik Kim
Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research.2025; 109(3): 123. CrossRef
Epidemiology and etiologic trends of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients in Mexico: a multicenter retrospective study (2018–2024)
Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Mariana M Ramírez-Mejía, Carlos Cortez-Hernández, Elianee M Tovar-Bojorquez, Raúl Contreras-Omaña, Juan D Monsiváis-Morales, Jacqueline Cordova-Gallardo, Mauricio Castillo-Barradas, Nubia Guzmán-Rodríguez, María S González-Huezo, Adr
Annals of Hepatology.2025; : 102131. CrossRef
Surgeon’s aspect of an expert consensus-based practical recommendation for surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
Jai Young Cho
Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research.2025; 109(3): 121. CrossRef
A Potential Pneumothorax Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Case Report and Literature Review
Yoon-E Shin, Hyuk Kim, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Sang Gyune Kim, Young Seok Kim
Medicina.2024; 60(10): 1634. CrossRef
Pathogenesis and management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: a narrative review
Han Ah Lee
The Ewha Medical Journal.2024;[Epub] CrossRef

Case Report

Complete response to local therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with lung metastasis: a case report: Daeun Kim, Seiyeon Park, Won Sohn, Hyun Pyo Hong, Byung Ik Kim; J Liver Cancer. 2022;22(1):51-56. Published online January 27, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2021.12.28

6,669 Views
126 Downloads
2 Citations

Abstract PDF

The concept of oligometastasis is widely accepted for various types of solid tumors; accordingly, better outcomes can be anticipated with aggressive local interventions. The treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis is systemic therapy. However, treatment responses to systemic therapy are poor. Recently, a small number of metastatic cancers (oligometastasis) have been controlled by local therapy rather than systemic therapy. Our study reports a case of a 66-year-old male patient with advanced HCC with lung metastasis, which was treated with local therapy. There were less than four metastases in the lungs, which were treated with wedge resection, radiofrequency, and radiation therapy. He repeatedly underwent local therapy for lung oligometastasis and locoregional therapy for intrahepatic HCC rather than systemic therapy; control by local therapy was possible as his liver function was preserved with Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A.

Citations

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A classification model for resectability in hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Ikuo Nakamura, Tomoaki Yoh, Takashi Nishimura, Masayuki Okuno, Tomohiro Okamoto, Hideaki Sueoka, Kenjiro Iida, Masaharu Tada, Takamichi Ishii, Satoru Seo, Yasuhiro Fujimoto, Hiroko Iijima, Seiko Hirono, Etsuro Hatano
Hepatology Research.2025; 55(1): 94. CrossRef
Predicting absorption of compounds from an in vivo liver surface based on molecular weight or in vitro release using a dialysis membrane in combination with lipophilicity
Fei Yuan, Ayaka Torigoe, Nao Mitsudome, Hirotaka Miyamoto, Shintaro Fumoto, Akira Toriba, Koyo Nishida
RSC Pharmaceutics.2025; 2(4): 761. CrossRef

Original Article

A Survey of Liver Cancer Specialists’ Views on the National Liver Cancer Screening Program in Korea: Won Sohn, Young-Sun Lee, Jae Geun Lee, Jihyun An, Eun Sun Jang, Dong Ho Lee, Dong Hyun Sinn; J Liver Cancer. 2020;20(1):53-59. Published online March 31, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.20.1.53

6,677 Views
149 Downloads
6 Citations

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Background/Aims
To reduce the cancer burden, the Korean government initiated the National Cancer Control Plan including the National Liver Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP). Ultrasonography examinations and α-fetoprotein tests at six-month intervals are currently offered for high-risk individuals. High-risk individuals are identified by reviewing the National Health Insurance Service claims data for medical use for the past two years using International Classification of Diseases Codes for specific liver disease. We surveyed the attitudes and opinions towards the NLCSP to understand the issues surrounding the NLCSP in Korea.
Methods
Altogether, 90 Korean Liver Cancer Association members participated in online and offline surveys between November and December 2019.
Results
Approximately one-quarter (27%) of the survey participants rated the NLCSP as very contributing and about two-thirds (68%) as contributing to some extent toward reducing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-related deaths in Korea. Most (87.8%) responded that the current process of identifying high-risk individuals needs improvement. Many (78.9%) were concerned that the current process identifies individuals who use medical services and paradoxically misses those who do not. When asked for the foremost priority for improvement, solving ‘duplication issues between the NLCSP and private clinic HCC screening practices’ was the most commonly selected choice (23.3%).
Conclusions
The survey participants positively rated the role of the NLCSP in reducing liver cancer deaths. However, many participants rated the NCLSP as needing improvement in all areas. This survey can be a relevant resource for future health policy decisions regarding the NLCSP in Korea.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Potential role of Fibrosis‐4 score in hepatocellular carcinoma screening: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study
Sujeong Shin, Won Sohn, Yoosoo Chang, Yoosun Cho, Min‐Jung Kwon, Sarah H. Wild, Christopher D. Byrne, Seungho Ryu
Hepatology Research.2024; 54(6): 551. CrossRef
Recent Hepatocellular Carcinoma Managements in Korea: Focus on the Updated Guidelines in 2022
Yuri Cho, Bo Hyun Kim, Young-Suk Lim
Digestive Disease Interventions.2024; 08(03): 169. CrossRef
Clinical practice guideline and real-life practice in hepatocellular carcinoma: A Korean perspective
Myung Ji Goh, Dong Hyun Sinn, Jong Man Kim, Min Woo Lee, Dong Ho Hyun, Jeong Il Yu, Jung Yong Hong, Moon Seok Choi
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2023; 29(2): 197. CrossRef
Current status of ultrasonography in national cancer surveillance program for hepatocellular carcinoma in South Korea: a large-scale multicenter study
Sun Hong Yoo, Soon Sun Kim, Sang Gyune Kim, Jung Hyun Kwon, Han-Ah Lee, Yeon Seok Seo, Young Kul Jung, Hyung Joon Yim, Do Seon Song, Seong Hee Kang, Moon Young Kim, Young-Hwan Ahn, Jieun Han, Young Seok Kim, Young Chang, Soung Won Jeong, Jae Young Jang, J
Journal of Liver Cancer.2023; 23(1): 189. CrossRef
Selecting the Target Population for Screening of Hepatic Fibrosis in Primary Care Centers in Korea
Huiyul Park, Eileen L. Yoon, Mimi Kim, Seon Cho, Jung-Hwan Kim, Dae Won Jun, Eun-Hee Nah
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2022; 11(6): 1474. CrossRef
Fibrosis Burden of Missed and Added Populations According to the New Definition of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver
Huiyul Park, Eileen L. Yoon, Mimi Kim, Jung-Hwan Kim, Seon Cho, Dae Won Jun, Eun-Hee Nah
Journal of Clinical Medicine.2021; 10(19): 4625. CrossRef

Review Article

Obesity and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Won Sohn; J Liver Cancer. 2016;16(2):86-91. Published online September 30, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.16.2.86

1,637 Views
27 Downloads

Abstract PDF: Obesity is closely associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as other malignancies. Obesity is an important risk factor for cancer development and overall mortality in HCC. Molecular mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis in obesity are adipose tissue remodeling, dysregulation of adipokines, increased reactive oxygen species, insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia, alteration of gut microbiota, and dysregulation of microRNA. Obesity is the most common cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD or NASH leads to HCC as well as liver cirrhosis. Hepatitis C virus regulates lipid homeostasis in liver. Obesity and its’ related factors (metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus) are significantly related to the risk of HCC development in chronic hepatitis C. However, it is not clear whether obesity is a risk factor for HCC in chronic hepatitis B. The relationship between obesity and HCC seems to be different according to etiology of background liver disease. Further studies are needed to clarify the effect of obesity on HCC in different etiologies of chronic liver disease.

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