Work

Overdiagnosis: An Understudied Issue in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Overdiagnosis, the detection of clinically insignificant disease that would not otherwise impact the patient's lifespan, is a phenomenon that has been described in several solid tumors, such as prostate, breast, thyroid, and lung cancers. Population-based efforts to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality in cirrhosis patients by screening and early detection may result in the overdiagnosis of HCC. One of the harms of overdiagnosis is subsequent overtreatment, which can result in increased costs, as well as physical side effects, psychological harms, and poorer quality of life. In this review, the authors explore the potential for overdiagnosis in HCC.

Source: Seminars in Liver Disease

DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1608775

Authors: Nicole Rich, Neehar Parikh, Amit Singal

Institutions: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Michigan

Language: English

Topic: Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis

Subfield: Hepatology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute