Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide, with approximately one million newly-diagnosed cases each year. Recent advances in imaging modalities have permitted the detection of HCC at an early stage. However, despite extensive efforts to improve early diagnosis and treatment, only 10-30% of patients diagnosed with HCC are eligible for curative treatments. A majority of HCC patients present with unresectable status, and approximately 80% have associated cirrhosis, making effective therapy difficult. The tumor biology of HCC and the co-existing cirrhosis have presented major obstacles to HCC treatments. The prognosis is extremely very poor in patients with advanced HCC, especially with extrahe-patic metastasis. Systemic therapy with conventional cytotoxic agents is ineffective or marginally effective in those cases.
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