Hepatocellular carcinoma: Summary and recommendations

Although known to be a common cause of cancer worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has long been considered a rare tumor in the United States.1 Indeed, in a recent review of the epidemiology of digestive diseases, HCC was said to rank 22nd among the causes of cancer mortality in the United States.2 The presentations made during this workshop show that these beliefs are no longer correct. Liver cancer is the most rapidly increasing cause of cancer in the United States, accounting for at least 14,000 deaths yearly and ranking eighth as a cause of cancer mortality in men.