Recommendations for the use of chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Usefulness of scoring system?

摘要

Several hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) staging systems have been established, and a variety of countryspecific treatment strategies are also proposed. The barcelona- clinic liver cancer(BCLC) system is the most widely used in Europe. The Hong Kong liverCancer is a new prognostic staging system; it might become the reference system in Asia. Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the most widely used treatment for HCC worldwide; but it showed a benefit only for intermediate stage HCC(BCLC B), and there is still no consensus concerning treatment methods and treatment strategies. In view of the highly diverse nature of HCC and practices, a scoring system designed to assist with decision making before the first TACE is performed or prior to repeating the procedure would be highly useful.