Local Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: 2024 Expert Consensus-Based Practical Recommendations of the Korean Liver Cancer Association

• Published in: Gut and liver Vol. 18; no. 5; pp. 789 - 802
• Main Authors: Seungchul Han, Pil Soo Sung, Soo Young Park, Jin Woong Kim, Hyun Pyo Hong, Jung-hee Yoon, Dong Jin Chung, Joon Ho Kwon, Sanghyeok Lim, Jae Hyun Kim, Seung Kak Shin, Tae Hyung Kim, Dong Ho Lee, Jong Young Choi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한간학회 30.09.2024
• Subjects: Guideline; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Local ablation; Practical recommendation
• ISSN: 1976-2283

Local ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma, a non-surgical option that directly targets and destroys tumor cells, has advanced significantly since the 1990s. Therapies with different energy sources, such as radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, and cryoablation, employ different mechanisms to induce tumor necrosis. The precision, safety, and effectiveness of these therapies have increased with advances in guiding technologies and device improvements. Consequently, local ablation has become the first-line treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. The lack of organized evidence and expert opinions regarding patient selection, pre-procedure preparation, procedural methods, swift post-treatment evaluation, and follow-up has resulted in clinicians following varied practices. Therefore, an expert consensus-based practical recommendation for local ablation was developed by a group of experts in radiology and hepatology from the Research Committee of the Korean Liver Cancer Association in collaboration with the Korean Society of Image-Guided Tumor Ablation to provide useful information and guidance for performing local ablation and for the pre- and post-treatment management of patients. (Gut Liver 2024;18:789-802)