Worldwide management of hepatocellular carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has impacted hospital organization,with the necessity to quickly react to face the pandemic.The management of the oncological patient has been modified by necessity due to different allocation of nurses and doctors,requiring new strategies to guarantee the correct assistance to the patients.Hepatocellular carcinoma,considered as one of the most aggressive types of liver cancer,has also required a different management during this period in order to optimize the management of patients at risk for and with this cancer.The aim of this document is to review recommendations on hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance and management,including surgery,liver transplantation,interventional radiology,oncology,and radiotherapy.Publications and guidelines from the main scientific societies worldwide regarding the management of hepatocellular carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic were reviewed.

Non-surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Cancer of the biliary confluence also known as hilar cholangiocarcinoma(HC)or Klatskin tumor,is a rare type of neoplastic disease constituting approximately 40%-60%of intrahepatic malignancies,and 2% of all cancers.The prognosis is extremely poor and the majority of Klatskin tumors are deemed unresectable upon diagnosis.Most patients with unresectable bile duct cancer die within the first year after diagnosis,due to hepatic failure,and/or infectious complications secondary to biliary obstruction.Curative treatments include surgical resection and liver transplantation in highly selected patients.Nevertheless,very few patients are eligible for surgery or transplant at the time of diagnosis.For patients with unresectable HC,radiotherapy,chemotherapy,photodynamic therapy,and liver-directed minimally invasive procedures such as percutaneous image-guided ablation and intra-arterial chemoembolization are recommended treatment options.This review focuses on currently available treatment options for unresectable HC and discusses future perspectives that could optimize outcomes.

Radiofrequency ablation vs surgical resection in elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Milan criteria

BACKGROUND Surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation(RFA)represent two possible strategy in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in Milan criteria.AIM To evaluate short-and long-term outcome in elderly patients(>70 years)with HCC in Milan criteria,which underwent liver resection(LR)or RFA.METHODS The study included 594 patients with HCC in Milan criteria(429 in LR group and 165 in RFA group)managed in 10 European centers.Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method before and after propensity score matching(PSM)and Cox regression.RESULTS After PSM,we compared 136 patients in the LR group with 136 patients in the RFA group.Overall survival at 1,3,and 5 years was 91%,80%,and 76%in the LR group and 97%,67%,and 41%in the RFA group respectively(P=0.001).Diseasefree survival at 1,3,and 5 years was 84%,60%and 44%for the LR group,and 63%,36%,and 25%for the RFA group(P=0.001).Postoperative Clavien-Dindo IIIIV complications were lower in the RFA group(1%vs 11%,P=0.001)in association with a shorter length of stay(2 d vs 7 d,P=0.001).In multivariate analysis,Model for End-stage Liver Disease(MELD)score(>10)[odds ratio(OR)=1.89],increased value of international normalized ratio(>1.3)(OR=1.60),treatment with radiofrequency(OR=1.46),and multiple nodules(OR=1.19)were independent predictors of a poor overall survival while a high MELD score(>10)(OR=1.51)and radiofrequency(OR=1.37)were independent factors associated with a higher recurrence rate.CONCLUSION Despite a longer length of stay and a higher rate of severe postoperative complications,surgery provided better results in long-term oncological outcomes as compared to ablation in elderly patients(>70 years)with HCC in Milan criteria.

Current status of non-surgical treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the 7th leading cause of death due to cancer in industrializedcountries and the 11th most common cancer globally, with 458918 new cases (2.5%of all cancers) and 432242 deaths (4.5% of all cancer deaths) in 2018. Unfortunately,80% to 90% of the patients present with unresectable disease, and thereported 5-year survival rate range between 10% and 25%, even after successfulresection with tumor-free margins. Systemic chemotherapy, radiotherapy, andminimally invasive image-guided procedures that have emerged over the pastyears, are used for the management of non-operable PC. This review focuses oncurrently available non-surgical options of locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Liver resection vs radiofrequency ablation in single hepatocellular carcinoma of posterosuperior segments in elderly patients

BACKGROUND Liver resection and radiofrequency ablation are considered curative options for hepatocellular carcinoma.The choice between these techniques is still controversial especially in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma affecting posterosuperior segments in elderly patients.AIM To compare post-operative outcomes between liver resection and radiofrequency ablation in elderly with single hepatocellular carcinoma located in posterosuperior segments.METHODS A retrospective multicentric study was performed enrolling 77 patients age≥70-years-old with single hepatocellular carcinoma(≤30 mm),located in posterosuperior segments(4a,7,8).Patients were divided into liver resection and radiofrequency ablation groups and preoperative,peri-operative and long-term outcomes were retrospectively analyzed and compared using a 1:1 propensity score matching.RESULTS After propensity score matching,twenty-six patients were included in each group.Operative time and overall postoperative complications were higher in the resection group compared to the ablation group(165 min vs 20 min,P<0.01;54%vs 19%P=0.02 respectively).A median hospital stay was significantly longer in the resection group than in the ablation group(7.5 d vs 3 d,P<0.01).Ninety-day mortality was comparable between the two groups.There were no significant differences between resection and ablation group in terms of overall survival and disease free survival at 1,3,and 5 years.CONCLUSION Radiofrequency ablation in posterosuperior segments in elderly is safe and feasible and ensures a short hospital stay,better quality of life and does not modify the overall and disease-free survival.

Current trends and perspectives in interventional radiology for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal(GI)cancers often require a multidisciplinary approach involving surgeons,endoscopists,oncologists,and interventional radiologists to diagnose and treat primitive cancers,metastases,and related complications.In this context,interventional radiology(IR)represents a useful minimally-invasive tool allowing to reach lesions that are not easily approachable with other techniques.In the last years,through the development of new devices,IR has become increasingly relevant in the context of a more comprehensive management of the oncologic patient.Arterial embolization,ablative techniques,and gene therapy represent useful and innovative IR tools in GI cancer treatment.Moreover,IR can be useful for the management of GI cancer-related complications,such as bleeding,abscesses,GI obstructions,and neurological pain.The aim of this study is to show the principal IR techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers and related complications,as well as to describe the future perspectives of IR in this oncologic field.