Downstaging strategies for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

A significant number of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are usually diagnosed in advanced stages, that leads to inability to achieve cure. Palliative options are focusing on downstaging a locally advanced disease. It is well-supported in the literature that patients with HCC who undergo successful conversion therapy followed by curative-intent surgery may achieve a significant survival benefit compared to those who receive chemotherapy alone or those who are successfully downstaged with conversion therapy but not treated with surgery. Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy can be a potential downstaging strategy, since recent studies have demonstrated excellent outcomes in patients with colorectal liver metastatic disease as well as primary liver malignancies.

Keywords: Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatic arterial infusion chemo-therapy; Downstaging; Hepatocellular carcinoma

Core Tip: Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who undergo successful conversion therapy followed by curative-intent surgery may achieve a significant survival benefit compared to those who receive chemotherapy only without surgery. Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy can be a potential downstaging strategy, since recent studies have demonstrated excellent outcomes in patients with colorectal liver metastatic disease as well as primary liver malignancies.