Surgical Perspectives of Hepatocellular Carcinoma beyond the Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer Guideline; Focusing on Liver Resection

ABSTRACT

Although surgical resection can provide best treatment outcome with curative intent, patients with relatively early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can get benefit of this treatment. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system limits surgical resection to patients with single HCC with well-preserved liver function, which is often challenged in real practice, especially from Asian countries. During last two decades, surgical outcomes have made remarkable progress approaching zero mortality in many reports. In this review, areas that surgical indications can be expanded beyond BCLC staging system will be discussed, especially in Asian population.