Hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant tumor that develops from the hepatocytes and is associated with rapid progression. HCC is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world.

The incidence has continued to increase in recent years. He is more common in adults than in children. The main cause of its genesis is cirrhosis of the liver as a terminal stage of chronic liver disease.

The highest risk of developing HCC is in patients with cirrhosis of the liver from a chronic hepatitis B or C infection and in cirrhotics due to ethyltoxic liver damage. Especially in the Western world, the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver hepatitis (NASH) is becoming increasingly important in the development of liver cirrhosis.

Other risk factors include chronic liver disease in aflatoxin exposure, alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis and other rare liver diseases. Clinically, the disease usually manifests itself in the late stages with nonspecific symptoms such as pressure pain in the right upper abdomen, ascites or B symptoms with fever and weight loss.

Asymptomatic liver tumors are often found only at random during routine examinations. The treatment options depend on the tumor stage and liver function. Curative treatment options include surgery or liver transplantation, and in some stages so-called ablative procedures.

The prognosis of an HCC is usually very bad. Rapid tumor growth and usually advanced cirrhosis of the liver lead to a severe reduction in life expectancy.