Methods to improve resectability of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver resection is associated with prolonged survival in selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Surgical resection of HCC may be decided on an individual basis according to the extent of the tumor and the severity of chronic liver disease. In patients with compensated cirrhosis, the volume of the future liver remnant (FLR) is the most reliable factor for predicting postoperative liver function. Methods of increasing the FLR volume, including portal vein embolization and sequential transarterial chemoembolization in patients who are primarily not eligible for liver resection, have been shown to be safe and have contributed to the increase in the number of surgical candidates.