International Hepatology

According to statistics, there are currently over 400 million people in China suffering from various liver diseases, with approximately one in three people having chronic liver disease. Hepatitis B patients account for about 24% of this number. Liver diseases have become one of the most prevalent threats to people's health. Chronic liver diseases, such as chronic viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, if not treated in a timely and standardized manner, can eventually progress to liver failure or even liver cancer, posing a serious threat to human life and health. With the advancement of medicine, the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in China has opened new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic liver diseases by complementing each other's strengths. Recently, at the 25th National Academic Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine for Hepatobiliary Diseases organized by the Hepatobiliary Disease Branch of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Yueqiu Gao addressed the advantages and shortcomings of traditional Chinese medicine in treating chronic hepatitis. Hepatology Digest has compiled this discussion for its readers.

On May 18, 2024, the "25th National Academic Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine for Hepatobiliary Diseases" was successfully held in Chongqing. The conference invited masters of Chinese medicine, academicians, nationally renowned TCM doctors, and leading experts in hepatology from both traditional Chinese and Western medicine to present academic reports. The focus was on hot and challenging issues in TCM hepatology, showcasing the latest achievements in TCM treatment of liver diseases. At the conference, Associate Professor Jingjie Zhao from the TCM Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, delivered a brilliant report titled "Quality Evaluation of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials on TCM Intervention in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease." The following is a summary of her report for our readers.

Primary liver cancer is currently the 4th most common malignant tumor and the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related death in China, posing a serious threat to the life and health of the Chinese people. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has extensive clinical experience in treating primary liver cancer, using a syndrome differentiation approach at different stages of the disease based on its etiology and pathogenesis. At the recent "25th National Academic Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine for Hepatobiliary Diseases" organized by the Hepatobiliary Disease Branch of the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Chunjun Xu, chairman of the Hepatobiliary Disease Branch, gave an exclusive interview with Hepatology Digest to discuss the treatment of primary liver cancer with TCM. Here is a compiled version of the interview for our readers.

Hello, esteemed experts and colleagues. In this issue of the CDM Monthly Review (Issue 80), we will share six recent articles on the diagnosis and treatment of portal hypertension (four on diagnosis and monitoring, and two on multidisciplinary treatment). We have invited the following experts to review this month's issue: Dr. Yifei Huang from the Department of Gastroenterology at the Third Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Yali Xiong from the Department of Infectious Diseases at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, and Dr. Jiacheng Liu from the Department of Interventional Radiology at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Recently, Professor Shichun Lu's team from the Chinese PLA General Hospital published an article titled "Application of Proportion of Viable Tumor Cells in Prognosis Evaluation of Initial Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Sequential Surgical Treatment After Conversion Therapy" in the professional journal Chinese Journal of Hepatobiliary Surgery. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical data and pathological evaluations of 80 initially unresectable HCC patients who received PD-1 antibody combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as conversion therapy followed by sequential surgical treatment. The research team confirmed the value of the proportion of viable tumor cells (RVTCs) in surgical pathology specimens as a prognostic marker for patients undergoing conversion surgery and identified the optimal threshold for RVTCs (15%) and factors influencing achieving RVTCs ≤ 15% postoperatively.

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for about 85% of all PLC cases. Despite continuous advancements in medical technology, radical surgical resection of the primary tumor remains a key component of HCC treatment. Robotic liver resection (RLR) is a relatively new technique that combines the advantages of traditional surgery with the precision and flexibility of robotic surgical systems. However, it remains unclear whether RLR is superior to traditional surgery in clinical practice.

The "Hepatology Digest - Liver Vascular Diseases" column is a scholarly column co-initiated by Dr. Xingshun Qi from the Department of Gastroenterology at the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, at the invitation of the editorial board of Hepatology Digest. This column regularly collects and summarizes research progress in the field of liver vascular diseases, selecting and discussing one significant paper every two weeks (Wednesday). The aim is to help readers understand the reasoning behind the findings, inspire clinical research thinking, and apply what they have learned in practice.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide, with recent data showing prevalence rates of up to 39% in adults and 20% in children. MAFLD is characterized by overweight or obesity, type 2 diabetes, and/or metabolically dysregulated hepatic steatosis and can coexist with various hepatic and cardiovascular metabolic diseases.