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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 4/2008

01-04-2008 | Hepatic and Pancreatic Tumors

Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Pathology, Imaging, and Therapy

Authors: Tadatoshi Takayama, MD, Masatoshi Makuuchi, MD, Masamichi Kojiro, MD, Gregory Y. Lauwers, MD, Reid B. Adams, MD, Stephanie R. Wilson, MD, Hyun-Jung Jang, MD, Chusilp Charnsangavej, MD, Bachir Taouli, MD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 4/2008

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Abstract

Background

In 1987, Japanese researchers proposed to define the pathological concept of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there are some conceptual differences between the East and the West in the diagnosis and treatment of early HCC.

Methods

To provide up-to-date data for making a worldwide consensus, this article has collected six papers focused on the management of early HCC, which were presented in the Fifth International Meeting of “Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Eastern and Western Experiences” in Houston in January 2007.

Results

In the pathological perspective, the common criteria to discriminate early HCC from dysplastic nodule included hepatocytic invasion of portal triads and septa (stromal invasion). The current imaging modalities such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the use of intravenous contrast material with multiphasic imaging could enhance their ability to accurately characterize early HCC. From the treatment perspective, a single early HCC had a high chance for cure by resection, ablation, or transplantation, which proved to be the earliest clinical entity (Stage 0 HCC).

Conclusions

Early HCC is characterized by its incipient malignant nature and by an extremely favorable clinical outcome, thereby justifying its definition.
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Metadata
Title
Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Pathology, Imaging, and Therapy
Authors
Tadatoshi Takayama, MD
Masatoshi Makuuchi, MD
Masamichi Kojiro, MD
Gregory Y. Lauwers, MD
Reid B. Adams, MD
Stephanie R. Wilson, MD
Hyun-Jung Jang, MD
Chusilp Charnsangavej, MD
Bachir Taouli, MD
Publication date
01-04-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 4/2008
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-007-9685-0

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