Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Egypt: Prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis and prevention: A Review

Document Type : Original Article

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Society of Pathological Biochemistry and Hematology, Egypt./ Molecular Biology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute (GEBRI), University of Sadat City, Egypt.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most often primary malignancy of the liver, accounting for about 90% of all primary liver malignancies, and is very prevalent in the majority of the world's most populous regions, Egypt was the country with the second-highest risk of liver cancer in 2018 after Mongolia, Over 90% of HCC cases occur in the setting of chronic liver disease. Cirrhosis from any etiology is the strongest risk factor for HCC. These risk factors that play an important role in the development of HCC are divided into four groups:  1. Hepatitis Viral infections, 2.  the Environmental and chemical toxins risk factors, 3.  Lifestyle risk factors, 4. genetic-related risk factors.
 The diagnosis of HCC can be made by history, physical examination, and using noninvasive imaging methods such as ultrasound, MRI, and CT scan. In the screening and detection of HCC patients, the most used method is the combination of ultrasonography and serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), There is a need for new biomarkers that are more disease-reflective and more sensitive for the identification of HCC patients.
HCC prevention is focused on early avoidance of HCC risk factors (primary prevention), early treatment of risk factors (secondary prevention), and avoiding or reducing HCC recurrence following successful curative therapy (tertiary prevention), In Egypt, HCC prevention by  HBV vaccination program, and, more recently,  the Egyptian government began the 100 Million Seha (100 Million Healthy Lives) campaign in late 2018, to eradicate HCV as a hazard to the public's health.

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