Dr. Benson on the Complexity of Up-front Treatment in HCC

Al B. Benson, MD, professor of medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, discusses the complexity of up-front treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The treatment paradigm of HCC has become more diverse with the approval of novel therapies, explains Benson.

Typically, a hepatologist is involved in the multidisciplinary management of patients with HCC because patients often have underlying liver disease, Benson says. This comorbidity can significantly alter or complicate treatment decisions.

Additionally, an overall multidisciplinary team should be consulted when treating patients with HCC to determine if the patient is eligible for transplant, Benson says.

Alternatively, patients may be considered for other localized therapies, such as liver resection, ablation, radioembolization, bland embolization, or chemoembolization, concludes Benson.