Mexican consensus on the diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: There has been an increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide and information on this disease is limited in Mexico.

AIMS: To analyze the available evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of HCC in the Mexican population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Mexican Association of Hepatology organized a meeting that 24 medical specialists interested in HCC attended. An electronic database search was carried out to identify documents published from 2000 with the keywords «Hepatocellular carcinoma» and «Mexico», «epidemiology», «diagnosis», and «treatment».

RESULTS: The incidence of HCC in Mexico has increased over the last few decades. The mean age of disease presentation is in patients from 60 to 70 years old, and the man:woman ratio appears to be equal. HCC is frequently associated with underlying hepatopathy and the primary cause reported in our country is chronic hepatitis C virus) infection. Surveillance is recommended for high-risk groups in Child-Pugh stages A and B, and for those in stage C if the patient is on a waiting list or regarded as a candidate for liver transplantation. HCC should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team of experts in the field.

CONCLUSIONS: HCC is a neoplasia that is on the rise in Mexico, with epidemiologic characteristics similar to those of other populations. Diagnosis and treatment should be individualized in accordance with these Consensus guidelines.