Surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma: Resection and ablation

In this article, the author reviews the recent advances in the surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Partial hepatic resection or, in some instances, liver transplantation provides the best chance for cure. Risk of perioperative mortality after partial hepatectomy is less than 5% in most experienced centers. Careful preoperative assessment of hepatic function is important to reduce the risk of postoperative liver failure after liver resection. Long-term outcomes after resection are comparable to those with liver transplantation, with reported 5-year survival rates of 25%-50%. Although limited controlled comparative studies exist, surgical and nonsurgical local ablative therapies, including ethanol and radiofrequency ablation, may result in survival benefit.