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Cited by 495Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and PrognosisMedical Imaging Techniques and ApplicationsMRI in cancer diagnosis

Advances in the Early Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Open access
Wang, Weiyi, Wei, Chao·2020·Genes & Diseases
DOI 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.01.014PMC PMC7452544
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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers globally. In contrast to the declining death rates observed for all other common cancers such as breast, lung, and prostate cancers, the death rates for HCC continue to increase by ~2-3% per year because HCC is frequently diagnosed late and there is no curative therapy for an advanced HCC. The early diagnosis of HCC is truly a big challenge. Over the past years, the early diagnosis of HCC has relied on surveillance with ultrasonography (US) and serological assessments of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). However, the specificity and sensitivity of US/AFP is not satisfactory enough to detect early onset HCC. Recent technological advancements offer hope for early HCC diagnosis. Herein, we review the progress made in HCC diagnostics, with a focus on emerging imaging techniques and biomarkers for early disease diagnosis.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.gendis.2020.01.014

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  • Without definitive tests, healthcare providers often depend on clinical judgment and broader testing approaches, sometimes resulting in diagnostic errors.

    “Without definitive tests, healthcare providers often depend on clinical judgment and broader testing approaches, sometimes resulting in diagnostic errors.”

    From Toward Safer Diagnoses: A SEIPS-Based Narrative Review of Diagnostic Errors (2026) · cites this paper as [187]

    The Introduction describes limited sensitivity and specificity in early HCC diagnosis and the use of ultrasound, AFP, and further imaging, supporting the point that clinicians use multiple imperfect tests. The Imaging section says MRI or CT can provide a definitive diagnosis for lesions ≥1 cm. Neither section says providers often rely on clinical judgment or that this results in diagnostic errors. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • There is a lack of appropriate or specific diagnostic tests for certain conditions or diseases, especially in their early stages.

    “First, there is a lack of appropriate or specific diagnostic tests for certain conditions or diseases, especially in their early stages [185,186,187].”

    From Toward Safer Diagnoses: A SEIPS-Based Narrative Review of Diagnostic Errors (2026) · cites this paper as [187]

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8 of the 179 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [63]Waldmann T.A. McIntire K.R. The use of a radioimmunoassay for alpha-fetoprotein in the diagnosis of malignancy Cancer 34 4 Suppl 1974 1510 1515 4138906

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Authors
Wang, W., & Wei, C.
Corresponding author
Wei, Chao
ORCID
Venue
Genes & Diseases
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-09
Volume
7
Issue
3
Pages
308-319
ISSN
2352-3042 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.gendis.2020.01.014
PMC
PMC7452544
OpenAlex
W3003360914
Cited by
492
References
179
Citations by year
2026: 56 · 2025: 107 · 2024: 126 · 2023: 108 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 2
FWCI
6.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Genes & Diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › MRI in cancer diagnosis
Keywords
hepatocellular carcinoma, early diagnosis, alpha-fetoprotein, ultrasonography, cancer surveillance, imaging modalities, biomarkers, sensitivity and specificity

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