Pathological aspects of hepatocellular carcinoma: a critical review of prognostic factors.

With surgical advances the number of hepatectomy specimen has increased, leading in turn to growing information on the pathologic characteristics of hepatocellular carcinomas. Large series have delineated prognostic pathological indicators of recurrence as well as survival. The understanding by histopathologists as well as surgeons of the importance of the detailed analysis is crucial since it may dictate the therapeutic strategy. We review herein the pathological factors that are currently recorded at specialized centers and analyze their value as prognostic indicators for patients with HCC.