Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) occurs most often in people with chronic liver diseases, including fatty liver disease and cirrhosis as main risk factors. While most patients don’t have signs or symptoms in the early stages of HCC, when they appear, they usually include weight loss, loss of appetite, upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, abdominal swelling, and jaundice.
cases diagnosed each year in the U.S.1
of patients survive 5 years after diagnosis 2
There are a wide variety of treatment options available, including external beam radiation (EBRT), but they vary per stage. While the short-term survival of HCC has improved, the recurrent disease remains a big problem. Patients in the early stages seek a cure via surgical resection or liver transplantation.
For patients at an intermediate or an advanced stage, the tumor is typically inoperable, causing patients to turn to palliative locoregional (chemoembolization, radioembolization) or systemic (sorafenib) therapy. These treatments are not curative and do not significantly prolong life.
To extend the life of patients with any stage of HCC through a safer, more targeted and convenient treatment option.