Dr. Kim on Curative Treatment Options in HCC

Joseph Kim, MD, professor of surgery and chief, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, discusses curative therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Curative surgical intervention is considered the best treatment option for eligible patients with HCC, says Kim, including surgical resection of the disease. However, surgical resection is often limited based on whether the patient has cirrhosis and the extent of the liver injury. Alternatively, liver transplant could offer curative potential and is able to treat the cirrhosis, Kim explains. 

Additionally, ablation of the HCC could be performed in the operating room by the surgeon or in the radiology department by an interventional radiologist, Kim concludes.