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What is hepatocellularcancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of death from malignancies worldwide. It is a disease that usually develops in the setting of chronic liver damage, mainly in patients with cirrhosis, which makes prevention, early diagnosis and specialized medical monitoring particularly important.

Risk factors and prevention

The most common risk factors include chronic infection with hepatitis B and C viruses, alcohol abuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with obesity and diabetes mellitus, as well as the presence of metabolic diseases.

In many cases, cancer develops silently, without causing symptoms in the early stages, which makes systematic monitoring of high-risk patients crucial.

Symptoms and diagnosis

When the disease manifests clinically, symptoms may be nonspecific and include:

• fatigue
• weight loss
• decreased appetite
• pain in the right upper abdomen
• abdominal swelling due to ascites

In more advanced stages, jaundice or deterioration of liver function may occur.

Diagnosis is mainly based on modern imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging with contrast, while measurement of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the blood can contribute to the diagnostic assessment.

Modern treatment options

The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is complex and individualized, as it depends on both the characteristics of the tumor and the functional state of the liver and the general health of the patient.

In early stages:

• Surgical removal of the tumor
• Liver transplantation

can offer definitive treatment.

For patients who are not suitable for surgery, the following are applied:

• thermal techniques (radiofrequency, microwaves)
• intravascular therapies (chemoembolization, radioembolization)

In more advanced stages, systemic therapy with targeted agents and immunotherapy has significantly changed the course of the disease, improving both survival and quality of life of patients.

The importance of early diagnosis

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma depends largely on the stage at which it is diagnosed. For this reason, prevention and regular monitoring are key pillars of modern medical practice.

Vaccination against hepatitis B, treatment of hepatitis C, avoidance of excessive alcohol consumption and proper management of metabolic diseases contribute substantially to reducing the incidence of the disease.

At the same time, regular imaging tests (liver ultrasound every six months) in high-risk individuals allow for the early detection of suspicious lesions.

The role of specialized centers

Today, the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is carried out in specialized centers with an interdisciplinary approach, where the collaboration of hepatologists, oncologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists and surgeons ensures the selection of the appropriate treatment for each patient.

In this context, the International Oncology Center of the Inter-Balkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki offers comprehensive and personalized care, utilizing modern technologies and therapeutic approaches, aiming for the best outcome for the patient.

The future of treatment

Continuous progress in medical technology and pharmaceutical therapy creates more and more possibilities for effective treatment of the disease, with the main goal of improving survival and quality of life.