Breakthrough for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 12,000 deaths per year in the United States and over one million deaths per year worldwide, making it the second most lethal malignancy following pancreatic cancer. The five-year survival rate remains at 18%, making early diagnosis and treatment a priority. The therapeutic management of a patient with HCC is determined by staging criteria met at the time of diagnosis. As a result, some patients with advanced disease may not qualify for treatments that are offered to patients with less aggressive disease.