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

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, Jeong-Ju Yoo; J Liver Cancer. 2023;23(1):189-201. Published online March 24, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2023.03.11

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Background/Aim
Abdominal ultrasonography (USG) is recommended as a surveillance test for high-risk groups for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to analyze the current status of the national cancer surveillance program for HCC in South Korea and investigate the effects of patient-, physician-, and machine-related factors on HCC detection sensitivity.
Methods
This multicenter retrospective cohort study collected surveillance USG data from the high-risk group for HCC (liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B or C >40 years of age) at eight South Korean tertiary hospitals in 2017.
Results
In 2017, 45 experienced hepatologists or radiologists performed 8,512 USG examinations. The physicians had a mean 15.0±8.3 years of experience; more hepatologists (61.4%) than radiologists (38.6%) participated. Each USG scan took a mean 12.2±3.4 minutes. The HCC detection rate by surveillance USG was 0.3% (n=23). Over 27 months of follow-up, an additional 135 patients (0.7%) developed new HCC. The patients were classified into three groups based on timing of HCC diagnosis since the 1st surveillance USG, and no significant intergroup difference in HCC characteristics was noted. HCC detection was significantly associated with patient-related factors, such as old age and advanced fibrosis, but not with physician- or machine-related factors.
Conclusions
This is the first study of the current status of USG as a surveillance method for HCC at tertiary hospitals in South Korea. It is necessary to develop quality indicators and quality assessment procedures for USG to improve the detection rate of HCC.

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The Visualization of the Importance of Covariance Importance in a Machine Learning Model for Advanced Liver Fibrosis in a Nationally Representative Sample
Alexander A. Huang, Samuel Y. Huang
JGH Open.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
The Epidemiology of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Korea: 15-Year Analysis
Log Young Kim, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Young Chang, Hoongil Jo, Young Youn Cho, Sangheun Lee, Dong Hyeon Lee, Jae Young Jang
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Long-Term HBsAg Titer Kinetics with Entecavir/Tenofovir: Implications for Predicting Functional Cure and Low Levels
Soon Kyu Lee, Soon Woo Nam, Jeong Won Jang, Jung Hyun Kwon
Diagnostics.2024; 14(5): 495. CrossRef
Evolving epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in South Korea: incidence, prevalence, progression, and healthcare implications from 2010 to 2022
Jae Woo Park, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Dong Hyeon Lee, Young Chang, Hoongil Jo, Young Youn Cho, Sangheun Lee, Log Young Kim, Jae Young Jang
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine.2024; 39(6): 931. CrossRef

The diagnostic value of circulating tumor DNA in hepatitis B virus induced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis: Young Chang, Soung Won Jeong, Jae Young Jang, Hyuksoo Eun, Young‑Sun Lee, Do Seon Song, Su Jong Yu, Sae Hwan Lee, Won Kim, Hyun Woong Lee, Sang Gyune Kim, Seongho Ryu, Suyeon Park; J Liver Cancer. 2022;22(2):167-177. Published online September 29, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.2022.09.19

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111 Downloads
5 Citations

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Background/Aim
New biomarkers are urgently needed to aid in the diagnosis of early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed a meta-analysis on the diagnostic utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels in patients with hepatitis B virus-induced HCC.
Methods
We retrieved relevant articles from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to February 8, 2022. Two subgroups were defined; one subset of studies analyzed the ctDNA methylation status, and the other subset combined tumor markers and ctDNA assays. Pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were analyzed.
Results
Nine articles including 2,161 participants were included. The overall SEN and SPE were 0.705 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.629-0.771) and 0.833 (95% CI, 0.769-0.882), respectively. The DOR, PLR, and NLR were 11.759 (95% CI, 7.982-17.322), 4.285 (95% CI, 3.098- 5.925), and 0.336 (0.301-0.366), respectively. The ctDNA assay subset exhibited an AUC of 0.835. The AUC of the combined tumor marker and ctDNA assay was 0.848, with an SEN of 0.761 (95% CI, 0.659-0.839) and an SPE of 0.828 (95% CI, 0.692-0.911).
Conclusions
Circulating tumor DNA has promising diagnostic potential for HCC. It can serve as an auxiliary tool for HCC screening and detection, especially when combined with tumor markers.

Citations

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YKL-40 in Virus-Associated Liver Disease: A Translational Biomarker Linking Fibrosis, Hepatocarcinogenesis, and Liver Transplantation
Jadranka Pavicic Saric, Dinka Lulic, Dunja Rogic, Stipislav Jadrijevic, Danko Mikulic, Tajana Filipec Kanizaj, Nikola Prpic, Laura Karla Bozic, Ivona Adamovic, Iva Bacak Kocman, Zrinka Sarec, Gorjana Erceg, Mirta Adanic, Petra Ozegovic Zuljan, Filip Jadri
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2025; 26(19): 9584. CrossRef
Harnessing viral footprints in circulating free DNA (cfDNA) for early cancer detection: A focus on liquid‐biopsy‐based screening
Richard Donkor Amponsah, Emmanuel Addai Gyabaah, Moro Amidu, Zhao Cheng, Fazlur Rahman Talukdar
International Journal of Cancer.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Current Tools to Diagnose and Predict Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Relevance to HIV and Hepatitis B Virus Coinfection
Edwin Wilbur Woodhouse, Tzu-Hao Lee, Susanna Naggie
Current HIV/AIDS Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
16S rRNA Next-Generation Sequencing May Not Be Useful for Examining Suspected Cases of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
Chan Jin Yang, Ju Sun Song, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Keun Woo Park, Jina Yun, Sang Gyune Kim, Young Seok Kim
Medicina.2024; 60(2): 289. CrossRef
Methylated circulating tumor DNA in hepatocellular carcinoma: A comprehensive analysis of biomarker potential and clinical implications
Qian Zhu, Jiaqi Xie, Wuxuan Mei, Changchun Zeng
Cancer Treatment Reviews.2024; 128: 102763. CrossRef

Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Korea: an Analysis of the 2015 Korean Nationwide Cancer Registry: Jun Sik Yoon, Han Ah Lee, Hwi Young Kim, Dong Hyun Sinn, Dong Ho Lee, Suk Kyun Hong, Ju-Yeon Cho, Jonggi Choi, Young Chang, Hyun-Joo Kong, Eunyang Kim, Young-Joo Won, Jeong-Hoon Lee; J Liver Cancer. 2021;21(1):58-68. Published online March 31, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.21.1.58

9,943 Views
326 Downloads
27 Citations

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material

Background/Aims
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Korea. This study evaluated the characteristics of Korean patients newly diagnosed with HCC in 2015.
Methods
Data from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR), a representative sample of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in Korea, were analyzed. A total of 1,558 patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR in 2015 were investigated.
Results
The median age was 61.0 years (interquartile range, 54.0-70.0 years), and men accounted for 79.7% of the subjects. Hepatitis B virus infection was the most common underlying liver disease (58.1%). According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, stage 0, A, B, C, and D HCCs accounted for 14.2%, 31.5%, 7.6%, 39.0%, and 7.8% of patients, respectively. Transarterial therapy (32.1%) was the most commonly performed initial treatment, followed by surgical resection (23.2%), best supportive care (20.2%), and local ablation therapy (10.7%). Overall, 34.5% of patients were treated in accordance with the BCLC guidelines: 59.2% in stage 0/A, 48.4% in stage B, 18.1% in stage C, and 71.6% in stage D. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 67.1%, 50.9%, and 27.0%, respectively.
Conclusions
In 2015, approximately 45% of Korean HCC cases were diagnosed at a very early or early stage, and 35% of patients underwent potentially curative initial treatment. BCLC guidance was followed in 34.5% of patients; in patients with stage B or C disease, there was relatively low adherence.

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Seong Joon Chun, Jeong-Ju Yoo, Sang Gyune Kim, Young-Seok Kim
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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
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Eun Sun Jang
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology.2025; 31(2): 596. CrossRef
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Hoang Dong Duc, Mai Binh Thanh, Mai Bang Hong, Nguyen Thinh Tien, Nguyen Thai Van, Bui Bieu Quang, Nguyen Chau Dinh, Thai Ky Doan
Cancer Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
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Chang Hun Lee, Yun Chae Lee, Seung Young Seo, Ga Ram You, Hoon Gil Jo, Sung Bum Cho, Eun Young Cho, In Hee Kim, Sung Kyu Choi, Jae Hyun Yoon
BMC Cancer.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
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Songgyung Kim, Jina Park, Won-Mook Choi, Danbi Lee, Ju Hyun Shim, Kang Mo Kim, Young-Suk Lim, Han Chu Lee, Ki-Hun Kim, Jonggi Choi
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A Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Recurrent Peritoneal Metastasis after Hepatectomy Who Showed Complete Response by Surgical Resection: Hyo Young Lee, Jeong-Hoon Lee, Joon Yeul Nam, Young Chang, Hyeki Cho, Young Youn Cho, Eung Ju Cho, Su Jong Yu, Yoon Jun Kim, Jung-Hwan Yoon; J Liver Cancer. 2017;17(2):153-157. Published online September 30, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17998/jlc.17.2.153

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Abstract PDF: Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatic resection is quite common. Peritoneal recurrence has been considered incurable status and related to poor prognosis. Although peritoneal metastasectomy is a therapeutic option for some selected patients with a few peritoneal metastasis, the indication and therapeutic effect has not been clear. We report a
case
of a 61-year-old man achieving complete remission of recurrent peritoneal metastasis after repeated surgical resection by a multidisciplinary approach. Peritoneal metastasectomy might be a therapeutic option for selected patients with localized oligonodular peritoneal metastasis.

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