Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), also known as liver cancer, is a severe disease due to its high prevalence and poor prognosis.
More than half a million cases are reported annually and the number is estimated to rise as Hepatitis C (HCV) rates of infection and improved clinical management of liver cirrhosis increase.
Prognosis depends on the stage of the cancer; less than 3 months in very advanced tumors.
The size of a tumor influences directly the possibility of surgical or ablative interventions, and a small tumor has a better chance of being cured.