APASL 2023 | Professor Li Jun: Latest Developments in ACLF Early Warning Models, Pioneering with Large-Scale Data from China

APASL 2023 | Professor Li Jun: Latest Developments in ACLF Early Warning Models, Pioneering with Large-Scale Data from China

2024.02.15
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) is a complex syndrome characterized by acute deterioration of liver function on the background of chronic liver disease, accompanied by liver and/or extrahepatic organ failure. It poses a significant challenge in internal medicine due to its high short-term mortality rate of 50% to 90%. Early prediction of the risk of ACLF in patients and advancing the treatment window can effectively improve patient outcomes.
ILCA 2023 | Molecular typing based on fatty acid degradation metabolism helps in achieving precision treatment for liver cancer.

ILCA 2023 | Molecular typing based on fatty acid degradation metabolism helps in achieving precision treatment for liver cancer.

2024.02.14
Primary liver cancer is currently the 4th most common malignant tumor and the 2nd leading cause of tumor-related death in China. 75%~85% of these cases are Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), posing a serious threat to the health and lives of Chinese citizens. In recent years, with the progress in traditional therapies like surgery, intervention, radiation, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, there are now more options available for liver cancer patients. Recent clinical studies have shown that the combined treatment plan of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (referred to as “T+A”) can reduce the mortality risk of advanced liver cancer patients by 42% compared to the traditional targeted drug sorafenib, setting a new standard for the first-line treatment of advanced liver cancer. However, the overall survival rate of liver cancer patients remains unsatisfactory, with a 5-year survival rate of about 20%. Due to the heterogeneity of liver cancer, there is still a significant variance in the treatment response and prognosis of patients with the same clinical stage. How to select the most suitable individualized treatment method for different liver cancer patients, to maximize therapeutic effects, is a pressing issue in the clinic.
ILCA Expert Interview | Moving Forward Together! The Development and Prospects of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment of Liver Cancer

ILCA Expert Interview | Moving Forward Together! The Development and Prospects of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment of Liver Cancer

2024.02.14
Primary liver cancer is one of the common malignant tumors worldwide. With the development of modern biomedical technology, clinical surgical techniques, and minimally invasive treatment techniques, the surgical treatment level of liver cancer has made significant progress. At the recently concluded global academic event in the field of liver cancer - the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA), Professor Myron Schwartz of Mount Sinai Hospital in the U.S. delivered a keynote report on the progress made in liver cancer surgical treatment in recent years. Our journal specially invited Professor Myron Schwartz for an in-depth interview on the evolution of future liver cancer clinical treatment strategies and the opportunities and challenges that liver cancer surgery will face. Here is the organized content for our readers.
Dr. Myron Schwartz: The Development and Prospects of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment of Liver Cancer

Dr. Myron Schwartz: The Development and Prospects of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Treatment of Liver Cancer

2024.02.01
Primary liver cancer is one of the common malignant tumors worldwide. With the development of modern biomedical technology, clinical surgical techniques, and minimally invasive treatment techniques, the surgical treatment level of liver cancer has made significant progress. At the recently concluded global academic event in the field of liver cancer - the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA), Dr. Myron Schwartz of Mount Sinai Hospital, the U.S., delivered a keynote report on the progress made in liver cancer surgical treatment in recent years. Hepatology Digest specially invited Dr. Schwartz for an in-depth interview on the evolution of future liver cancer clinical treatment strategies and the opportunities and challenges that liver cancer surgery will face.
Dr. Masatoshi Kudo: “T+A” Shows Significant Clinical Benefits in Intermediate-Stage HCC Patients Unsuitable for TACE Treatment

Dr. Masatoshi Kudo: “T+A” Shows Significant Clinical Benefits in Intermediate-Stage HCC Patients Unsuitable for TACE Treatment

2024.02.01
 Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor posing a significant threat to human health with considerable heterogeneity. Specifically, intermediate-stage HCC spans a range from liver function reserve ChHepatology Digest-Pugh A grade (5 points) to B grade (9 points), tumor sizes from 5 cm to >10 cm, and the number of nodules from 4 to >10. There is an urgent need for refined clinical treatments. Significant advancements in systemic treatments have recently improved the survival of advanced-stage HCC patients. Systemic treatments for intermediate-stage HCC have become a major focal point in the field. At the recently concluded 17th International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) Annual Meeting, Dr. Masatoshi Kudo from Kindai University, Japan, presented an oral report on a clinical study (REPLACEMENT study, Abstract No. O-15) of atezolizumab combined with bevacizumab (referred to as “T+A”) for patients with intermediate-stage HCC unsuitable for TACE treatment. We had the privilege to interview Dr. Kudo for insights into this research and its findings.
ILCA 2023 | Exploration of Immunotherapy as Neoadjuvant Treatment in Reducing Postoperative Recurrence of HCC

ILCA 2023 | Exploration of Immunotherapy as Neoadjuvant Treatment in Reducing Postoperative Recurrence of HCC

2024.02.01
 Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in the clinical treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), significantly improving their survival. While early-stage HCC can be cured with hepatectomy, up to 70% of patients may experience tumor recurrence within two years post-surgery. Therefore, the feasibility of perioperative ICI use to effectively inhibit tumor recurrence and further improve the postoperative survival rate of HCC patients is a subject that needs further exploration. From September 7th-9th, 2023, the global academic feast in the field of liver cancer—the 17th International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) annual meeting was held grandly in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Dr. Antonio D'Alessio from Imperial College London presented the PRIME-HCC study, a clinical trial of ICIs as a neoadjuvant treatment in unresectable HCC patients (Abstract number: O-13). This attracted wide attention from attendees, and Dr. Antonio D'Alessio was awarded the "Young Investigator" medal by the ILCA conference. Here's a comprehensive report.
ILCA 2023 | Liver Frailty Index as an Independent Predictor of Mortality in Advanced HCC Patients Undergoing Systemic Treatment

ILCA 2023 | Liver Frailty Index as an Independent Predictor of Mortality in Advanced HCC Patients Undergoing Systemic Treatment

2024.02.01
Systemic treatment can extend the overall survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, results vary among individuals, and the predictive factors for survival rates in advanced HCC patients are still unclear. Previous studies have shown that the patient's frailty index is related to adverse outcomes in liver cirrhosis and liver transplant recipients. It has also been confirmed to predict the results of systemic treatment in cancer patients. From September 7-9, 2023, the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) was grandly held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. At this ILCA 2023 meeting, Dr. Karen W.D. Prince from the Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia, delivered an oral report on a multicenter prospective observational study (Abstract No.: O-08), which analyzed the factors related to the mortality rate of advanced HCC patients undergoing systemic treatment. The results show that the Liver Frailty Index (LFI) can serve as an independent predictor of mortality in late-stage HCC patients undergoing systemic treatment. This journal provides a comprehensive report.