Published online Jan 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i1.19
Peer-review started: September 21, 2022
First decision: October 18, 2022
Revised: October 29, 2022
Accepted: December 21, 2022
Article in press: December 21, 2022
Published online: January 27, 2023
Processing time: 118 Days and 21.4 Hours
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal tumors in the world. Liver resection (LR) and liver transplantation (LT) are widely considered as radical treatments for early HCC. However, the recurrence rates after curative treatment are still high and overall survival is unsatisfactory. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is considered to be one of the important prognostic factors affecting postoperative recurrence and long-term survival. Unfortunately, whether HCC patients with MVI should receive postoperative adjuvant therapy remains unknown. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic effects of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, tyrosine protein kinase inhibitor-based targeted therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with MVI after LR or LT, aiming to provide a reference for the best adjuvant treatment strategy for HCC patients with MVI after LT or LR.
Core Tip: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is considered to be one of the important prognostic factors affecting postoperative recurrence and long-term survival. Unfortunately, whether hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with MVI should receive postoperative adjuvant therapy remains unknown. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic effects of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, tyrosine protein kinase inhibitor-based targeted therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with MVI after liver resection (LR) or liver transplantation (LT), aiming to provide a reference for the best adjuvant treatment strategy for HCC patients with MVI after LT or LR.