The problem of current classifications of the hepatocellular carcinoma: literature review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in vast majority of cases develops in patients with chronic liver diseases, more often - viral hepatitis B and C, and is diagnosed at the advanced stages [1, 3]. Despite the advantages of the modern oncology (some patients live till appearance of brain metastases [1]), prognosis in HCC is still poor. In general, prognosis depends on not only biological characteristics of the tumor itself, but also on the background of the liver condition, often - at the stage of the cirrhosis. As distinct from the other malignant tumor of liver - cholangiocellular carcinoma, there are no universal prognostic classifications for HCC [2]. International classification TNM used for majority of solid tumors is not appropriate to be ‘reference' for HCC [4]. There are several prognostic scales and classifications created recently in West and Asian countries. For the creation of such systems they use more often the regression model on the basis of prognostic variables of the investigated population. Currently, there is no universal prognostic classification or scale for HCC. Almost all these classifications included the features; liver function, tumor characteristics, clinical behavior, undercurrent diseases, presence of the cirrhosis [3].