System for BCLC staging
Doctors frequently utilize the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) criteria to characterize HCC and recommend therapy. HCC is classified using the BCLC approach based on tumour features, liver function, performance status, and cancer-related symptoms.
The following are the BCLC stage classifications:
- Very early stage: The tumour is less than 2 millimeters in diameter (cm). The portal vein, one of the liver’s main blood arteries, has no elevated pressure. The chemical that causes jaundice, bilirubin, is within normal limits. Surgery is frequently the best option.
- Early-stage: The tumour is less than 5 cm in diameter. The function of the liver varies. There may be no increase in portal vein pressure, an increase in portal vein pressure with normal bilirubin levels, or an increase in portal vein pressure with an increase in bilirubin level. A liver transplant, surgery, or radiofrequency ablation may be options for people with early-stage illness (RFA).
- Intermediate Stage: The tumour may be huge or numerous. Regional therapy, such as transarterial chemoembolization, is frequently recommended by doctors.
- Advanced Stage: The tumour has progressed to other body regions, including the lymph nodes, lungs, and bones, or has invaded the portal vein. Hence, doctors frequently recommend targeted therapy.
