Therapy of primary liver cancer

Abstract

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is a fatal disease that affects millions of lives worldwide. PLC is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the rate of incidence is predicted to rise in the coming decades. PLC can be categorized into three major histological subtypes: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and combined HCC-ICC (cHCC-ICC). These subtypes are distinct with respect to epidemiology, clinicopathological features, genetic alterations, and clinical managements, which are thoroughly summarized in this review. The state of treatment strategies for each subtype, including the currently approved drugs and the potential novel therapies, are also discussed.