Liu F, Zhang J, Li K. Postoperative adjuvant management in hepatocellular carcinoma: A review of therapeutic efficacy and prognostic outcomes. World J Hepatol 2025; 17(9): 107631 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i9.107631]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Kai Li, Adjunct Professor, Chief Physician, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Lianyungang Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda, College of Nanjing Medical University, The First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No. 6 Zhenhua East Road, Lianyungang 222061, Jiangsu Province, China. lkgdwk03178@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Surgery
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Hepatol. Sep 27, 2025; 17(9): 107631 Published online Sep 27, 2025. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i9.107631
Postoperative adjuvant management in hepatocellular carcinoma: A review of therapeutic efficacy and prognostic outcomes
Fei Liu, Jing Zhang, Kai Li
Fei Liu, Kai Li, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Lianyungang Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda, College of Nanjing Medical University, The First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Lianyungang 222061, Jiangsu Province, China
Fei Liu, Jing Zhang, Kai Li, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Jinzhou Medical University Postgraduate Training Base (The First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang), Lianyungang 222061, Jiangsu Province, China
Jing Zhang, Department of Surgery, Chengguan District People’s Hospital of Lanzhou City, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu Province, China
Co-first authors: Fei Liu and Jing Zhang.
Author contributions: Liu F and Zhang J drafted the manuscript, they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Zhang J contributed to literature search; Liu F and Li K reviewed and edited the manuscript; and all authors have read and approved the final version to be published.
Supported by the Lianyungang Comprehensive Cancer Management and Technology Advancement Project, No. QN202302; the First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang Young Talent Development Initiative, No. QN2212; and Jiangsu Society of Research Hospital Translational Medicine Research Grant, No. 2024-GDZXKT-01-07.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Kai Li, Adjunct Professor, Chief Physician, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Lianyungang Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda, College of Nanjing Medical University, The First People’s Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No. 6 Zhenhua East Road, Lianyungang 222061, Jiangsu Province, China. lkgdwk03178@163.com
Received: April 3, 2025 Revised: May 22, 2025 Accepted: September 9, 2025 Published online: September 27, 2025 Processing time: 176 Days and 2.9 Hours
Abstract
Primary liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent malignancy worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. According to the latest data from the National Cancer Center of China, its mortality rate has risen, making it the country’s second-deadliest tumor. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant histological subtype, remains a substantial therapeutic challenge. Hepatectomy is the treatment of choice for HCC; however, because of its insidious onset and aggressive progression, the global 5-year survival rate is only 14.1%, and up to 70% of patients experience recurrence within five years after surgery. Consequently, reducing postoperative recurrence and prolonging survival have become critical research priorities. Currently, no consensus or guidelines exist regarding the clinical efficacy or potential synergistic effects of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent postoperative recurrence. In recent years, interest has grown in systemic therapies and combined local modalities - particularly targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors, as adjuvant treatments. This review synthesizes recent advances in targeted and immunotherapeutic adjuvant therapies for postoperative HCC to inform clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.
Core Tip: This article provides a comprehensive evaluation of postoperative adjuvant therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients at high risk of recurrence, detailing the clinical advantages of diverse diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. It highlights the significance and challenges of adjuvant treatment, highlighting the necessity and benefits of multimodal strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration. These insights aim to improve prognosis, extend survival, and inform personalized adjuvant therapy following liver cancer resection.
