REFERENCES
2. Krupa K, Fudalej M, Cencelewicz-Lesikow A, Badowska-Kozakiewicz A, Czerw A, Deptała A. Current treatment methods in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancers 2024;16:4059.
3. Reig M, Forner A, Rimola J, et al. BCLC strategy for prognosis prediction and treatment recommendation: the 2022 update. J Hepatol 2022;76:681-93.
4. Vitale A, Cabibbo G, Iavarone M, et al.; HCC Special Interest Group of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver. Personalised management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a multiparametric therapeutic hierarchy concept. Lancet Oncol. 2023;24:e312-22.
5. Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Vist GE, et al.; GRADE Working Group. GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ. 2008;336:924-6.
6. Reig M, Sanduzzi-Zamparelli M, Forner A, et al. BCLC strategy for prognosis prediction and treatment recommendations: the 2026 update. J Hepatol 2026;84:631-54.
7. Haynes RB, Devereaux PJ, Guyatt GH. Clinical expertise in the era of evidence-based medicine and patient choice. BMJ Evid Based Med 2002;83:383-6.
8. Hsieh CE, Hsu YL, Lin KH, et al. Association between surgical volumes and hospital mortality in patients: a living donor liver transplantation single center experience. BMC Gastroenterol 2021;21:228.
9. Alqahtani SA, Stepanova M, Kabbara KW, Younossi I, Mishra A, Younossi Z. Liver transplant center size and the impact on clinical outcomes and resource utilization. Transplantation 2022;106:988-96.
10. Azoulay D, Salloum C, Llado L, et al. Defining surgical difficulty of liver transplantation. Ann Surg 2023;277:144-50.
12. Axelrod DA, Gheorghian A, Schnitzler MA, et al. The economic implications of broader sharing of liver allografts. Am J Transplant 2011;11:798-807.
14. Ahmed O, Doyle MBM, Abouljoud MS, et al. Liver transplant costs and activity after united network for organ sharing allocation policy changes. JAMA Surg 2024;159:939-47.
15. Hibi T, Wei Chieh AK, Chi-Yan Chan A, Bhangui P. Current status of liver transplantation in Asia. Int J Surg 2020;82S:4-8.
16. Canizares S, Montalvan A, Chumdermpadetsuk R, Modest A, Eckhoff D, Lee DD. Liver machine perfusion technology: expanding the donor pool to improve access to liver transplantation. Am J Transplant 2024;24:1664-74.
17. Tingle SJ, Dobbins JJ, Thompson ER, et al. Machine perfusion in liver transplantation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023;9:CD014685.
18. Boteon YL, Hessheimer AJ, Brüggenwirth IMA, et al. The economic impact of machine perfusion technology in liver transplantation. Artif Organs 2022;46:191-200.
19. Li Z, Pfister M, Huwyler F, et al. Revolutionizing liver transplantation: transitioning to an elective procedure through ex situ normothermic machine perfusion - a benefit analysis. Ann Surg 2024;280:887-95.
20. Yilma M, Dalal N, Wadhwani SI, Hirose R, Mehta N. Geographic disparities in access to liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2023;29:987-97.
21. Rinella NS, Charlton W, Reddy G, McLean Diaz P, Charlton MR. Current burden of and geographic disparities in liver mortality and access to liver transplant. JAMA Netw Open 2024;7:e2439846.
22. Ross-Driscoll K, Gunasti J, Ayuk-Arrey AT, et al. Identifying and understanding variation in population-based access to liver transplantation in the United States. Am J Transplant 2023;23:1401-10.
23. Wahid NA, Rosenblatt R, Brown RS Jr. A review of the current state of liver transplantation disparities. Liver Transpl 2021;27:434-43.
24. Goldberg DS, Newcomb C, Gilroy R, et al. Increased distance to a liver transplant center is associated with higher mortality for patients with chronic liver failure. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017;15:958-60.
25. Jaure A, Jha V, McElroy LM, et al. Policy innovations to advance equity in solid organ transplantation. Lancet 2025;406:403-16.
26. Hill AL, Khan M, Kiani AZ, et al. Global liver transplantation: emerging trends and ethical challenges. Langenbecks Arch Surg 2023;408:418.
27. Oniscu GC, Muller E, Wilson C, Horton R; ESOT-Lancet Commission on Transplantation. The ESOT-lancet commission on transplantation: a new vision for global sustainability, innovation, and equity in organ transplantation. Lancet. 2025;406:313-5.
28. Brand DA, Viola D, Rampersaud P, Patrick PA, Rosenthal WS, Wolf DC. Waiting for a liver--hidden costs of the organ shortage. Liver Transpl 2004;10:1001-10.
29. Yi Z, Mayorga ME, Orman ES, Wheeler SB, Hayashi PH, Barritt AS Th. Trends in characteristics of patients listed for liver transplantation will lead to higher rates of waitlist removal due to clinical deterioration. Transplantation 2017;101:2368-74.
30. Dar FS, Arsalan M, Haq IU, et al. Liver transplantation: a right or a privilege? Sustainable liver transplant financing with an innovative model for the developing world. Transplant Proc 2023;55:402-7.
31. Strauss AT, Brundage J, Sidoti CN, et al. Patient perspectives on liver transplant evaluation: a qualitative study. Patient Educ Couns 2024;127:108346.
32. Martin P, DiMartini A, Feng S, Brown R Jr, Fallon M. Evaluation for liver transplantation in adults: 2013 practice guideline by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the American Society of Transplantation. Hepatology 2014;59:1144-65.
33. Bailey P, Vergis N, Allison M, Riddell A, Massey E. Psychosocial evaluation of candidates for solid organ transplantation. Transplantation 2021;105:e292-302.
34. Cooper KM, Colletta A, Amin D, Herscovici DM, Devuni D. Psychosocial trauma history negatively impacts liver transplant access in women with chronic liver disease. J Transplant 2024;2024:2455942.
35. Tarabeih M, Bokek-Cohen Y, Azuri P. Health-related quality of life of transplant recipients: a comparison between lung, kidney, heart, and liver recipients. Qual Life Res 2020;29:1631-9.
36. Saiyu G, Shali W, Yanfang L, Jingping Z. Mental health of recipients after cadaveric liver transplantation: a perspective from positive psychology. J Clin Nurs 2023;32:4710-8.
37. Benson AA, Rowe M, Eid A, et al. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation predicts post-transplantation outcomes. Psychol Health Med 2018;23:788-96.
38. Kisielska A, Schneider-Matyka D, Rachubińska K, et al. Adherence to therapy among liver transplant patients as related to depression, anxiety, acceptance of the disease, and social support. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2023;27:6850-9.
39. Yıldız E, Demir B, Sarıtaş S. Perceived social support associated with posttraumatic growth in liver transplant recipients: a cross-sectional study. Transpl Immunol 2022;72:101562.
40. Magnin J, Bernard A, Cottenet J, et al. Impact of hospital volume in liver surgery on postoperative mortality and morbidity: nationwide study. Br J Surg 2023;110:441-8.
41. Koh YX, Zhao Y, Tan IE, et al. The impact of hospital volume on liver resection: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. Surgery 2024;175:393-403.
42. Ciria R, Cherqui D, Geller DA, Briceno J, Wakabayashi G. Comparative short-term benefits of laparoscopic liver resection: 9000 cases and climbing. Ann Surg 2016;263:761-77.
43. Brolese A, Rigoni M, Vitale A, et al. Role of laparoscopic and robotic liver resection compared to open surgery in elderly hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hepatoma Res 2020;6:34.
44. Ghamarnejad O, Sahan LA, Kardassis D, et al. Technical aspects and learning curve of complex laparoscopic hepatectomy: how we do it. Surg Endosc 2024;38:4583-93.
45. Singal AG, Llovet JM, Yarchoan M, et al. AASLD practice guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology 2023;78:1922-65.
46. Cosic L, Ma R, Churilov L, et al. The financial impact of postoperative complications following liver resection. Medicine 2019;98:e16054.
47. Koh YX, Zhao Y, Tan IE, et al. Cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic vs open liver resection: a propensity score-matched single-center analysis of 920 cases. J Am Coll Surg 2025;241:203-19.
48. Aziz H, Hanna K, Lashkari N, Ahmad NU, Genyk Y, Sheikh MR. Hospitalization costs and outcomes of open, laparoscopic, and robotic liver resections. Am Surg 2022;88:2331-7.
49. Miller HP, Hakim A, Kellish A, et al. Cost-benefit analysis of robotic vs. laparoscopic hepatectomy: a propensity-matched retrospective cohort study of american college of surgeons national surgical quality improvement program database. Am Surg 2022;88:2886-92.
50. Koh YX, Zhao Y, Tan IE, et al. Comparative cost-effectiveness of open, laparoscopic, and robotic liver resection: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Surgery 2024;176:11-23.
51. Serenari M, Lenzi J, Cucchetti A, et al.; HE.RC.O.LE.S. Group. The effect of a liver transplant program on the outcomes of resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a nationwide multicenter analysis. Ann Surg. 2023;277:664-71.
52. Vitale A, Brolese M, Govoni I, et al. Laparoscopic microwave ablation and salvage liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancers 2025;17:2248.
53. Simpson AL, Geller DA, Hemming AW, et al. Liver planning software accurately predicts postoperative liver volume and measures early regeneration. J Am Coll Surg 2014;219:199-207.
54. Wong P, Vien P, Kessler J, Lafaro K, Wei A, Melstrom LG. Augmenting the future liver remnant prior to major hepatectomy: a review of options on the menu. Ann Surg Oncol 2025;32:5694-709.
55. Beltrán Ponce S, Gokun Y, Douglass F, et al. Disparities in outcomes and access to therapy options in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024;116:264-74.
56. Welch VA, Akl EA, Guyatt G, et al. GRADE equity guidelines 1: considering health equity in GRADE guideline development: introduction and rationale. J Clin Epidemiol 2017;90:59-67.
57. Coletta D, De Padua C, Parrino C, et al. Laparoscopic liver surgery: what are the advantages in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension? Systematic review and meta-analysis with personal experience. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A 2020;30:1054-65.
58. Nathan H, Bridges JF, Schulick RD, et al. Understanding surgical decision making in early hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 2011;29:619-25.
59. Archer S, Pinto A, Vuik S, et al. Surgery, complications, and quality of life: a longitudinal cohort study exploring the role of psychosocial factors. Ann Surg 2019;270:95-101.
60. Cardoso-Moreno MJ, Tomás-Aragones L. The influence of perceived family support on post surgery recovery. Psychol Health Med 2017;22:121-8.
61. Li L, Zhang HZ, Ge Y, et al. The perioperative experience and needs of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in interventional therapy: a phenomenological qualitative study. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024;36:423-9.
62. Association for the Study of the Liver. EASL clinical practice guidelines on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2025;82:315-74.
63. Omata M, Cheng AL, Kokudo N, et al. Asia-Pacific clinical practice guidelines on the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: a 2017 update. Hepatol Int 2017;11:317-70.
64. NCCN Guidelines for patients: liver cancer. Available from: https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/liver-hp-patient.pdf. [Last accessed on 15 Apr 2026].
65. Goh MJ, Kang W, Kim KM, et al. Incidence and risk factors for development of hepatocellular carcinoma at young age in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Scand J Gastroenterol 2022;57:70-7.
66. Crocetti L, de Baére T, Pereira PL, Tarantino FP. CIRSE standards of practice on thermal ablation of liver tumours. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2020;43:951-62.
67. Kang TW, Lim HK, Cha DI. Percutaneous ablation for perivascular hepatocellular carcinoma: Refining the current status based on emerging evidence and future perspectives. World J Gastroenterol 2018;24:5331-7.
68. Goto E, Tateishi R, Shiina S, et al. Hemorrhagic complications of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for liver tumors. J Clin Gastroenterol 2010;44:374-80.
69. Ocak G, Rookmaaker MB, Algra A, et al.; SMART Study Group. Chronic kidney disease and bleeding risk in patients at high cardiovascular risk: a cohort study. J Thromb Haemost. 2018;16:65-73.
70. Choi D, Lim HK, Kim MJ, et al. Liver abscess after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinomas: frequency and risk factors. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2005;184:1860-7.
71. Nault JC, Sutter O, Nahon P, Ganne-Carrié N, Séror O. Percutaneous treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: state of the art and innovations. J Hepatol 2018;68:783-97.
72. Minami Y, Aoki T, Hagiwara S, Kudo M. Tips for preparing and practicing thermal ablation therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancers 2023;15:4763.
73. Charalel RA, Mushlin AI, Zheng X, et al. Short-term out-of-pocket and total costs of care after ablation, resection, or transplant for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma: a national SEER-medicare cost comparison. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2024;223:e2431272.
74. Cucchetti A, Piscaglia F, Cescon M, et al. Cost-effectiveness of hepatic resection versus percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for early hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2013;59:300-7.
75. Kato K, Abe H, Ika M, et al. Efficacy of fusion imaging and cone-beam computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma poorly visualized on ultrasonography. Oncology 2026;104:270-82.
76. Ahn SJ, Lee JM, Lee DH, et al. Real-time US-CT/MR fusion imaging for percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2017;66:347-54.
77. Calandri M, Mauri G, Yevich S, et al. Fusion imaging and virtual navigation to guide percutaneous thermal ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma: a review of the literature. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2019;42:639-47.
78. Huang ZM, Zuo MX, Gu YK, et al. Computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation combined with transarterial embolization assisted by a three-dimensional visualization ablation planning system for hepatocellular carcinoma in challenging locations: a preliminary study. Abdom Radiol 2020;45:1181-92.
79. Volpi S, Tsoumakidou G, Loriaud A, Hocquelet A, Duran R, Denys A. Electromagnetic navigation system combined with High-Frequency-Jet-Ventilation for CT-guided hepatic ablation of small US-Undetectable and difficult to access lesions. Int J Hyperthermia 2019;36:1051-7.
80. Ramtohul T, Vilgrain V, Soubrane O, et al. Impact of extended use of ablation techniques in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Cancers 2022;14:2634.
81. Gervais DA, Goldberg SN, Brown DB, Soulen MC, Millward SF, Rajan DK. Society of Interventional Radiology position statement on percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of liver tumors. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2009;20:S342-7.
82. Huang G, Chen X, Lau WY, et al. Quality of life after surgical resection compared with radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinomas. Br J Surg 2014;101:1006-15.
83. Toro A, Pulvirenti E, Palermo F, Di Carlo I. Health-related quality of life in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatic resection, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation or no treatment. Surg Oncol 2012;21:e23-30.
84. Tan ZB, Zhang J. Recent advances in treatment strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein cancer thrombus. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2023;27:8119-34.
85. Garg T, Shrigiriwar A, Habibollahi P, et al. Intraarterial therapies for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancers 2022;14:3351.
86. Ebeling Barbier C, Heindryckx F, Lennernäs H. Limitations and possibilities of transarterial chemotherapeutic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021;22:13051.
87. Ward TJ, Tamrazi A, Lam MG, et al. Management of high hepatopulmonary shunting in patients undergoing hepatic radioembolization. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2015;26:1751-60.
88. Busse NC, Al-Ghazi MSAL, Abi-Jaoudeh N, et al. AAPM medical physics practice guideline 14.a: Yttrium-90 microsphere radioembolization. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2024;25:e14157.
89. Brown ZJ, Tsilimigras DI, Ruff SM, et al. Management of hepatocellular carcinoma: a review. JAMA Surg 2023;158:410-20.
90. Chiba T, Hiraoka A, Mikami S, et al. Japanese patient preferences regarding intermediate to advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treatments. Patient Prefer Adherence 2019;13:637-47.
91. Loffroy R, Ronot M, Greget M, et al.; CIRT-FR Principal Investigators. Short-term safety and quality of life outcomes following radioembolization in primary and secondary liver tumours: a multi-centre analysis of 200 patients in France. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2021;44:36-49.
92. Zhang WZ, Han JQ, Chin KY, Zakaria R, Hassan NH. Determinants of health-related quality of life after transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a systematic review. J Clin Med 2025;14:3941.
93. Man KH, Law HK, Tam SY. Psychosocial needs of post-radiotherapy cancer survivors and their direct caregivers - a systematic review. Front Oncol 2023;13:1246844.
94. Apisarnthanarax S, Barry A, Cao M, et al. External beam radiation therapy for primary liver cancers: an ASTRO clinical practice guideline. Pract Radiat Oncol 2022;12:28-51.
95. Tsurugai Y, Takeda A, Eriguchi T, Sanuki N, Aoki Y. Hypofractionated radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinomas adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract. Hepatol Res 2021;51:294-302.
96. Knavel Koepsel EM, Smolock AR, Pinchot JW, et al.; Expert Panel on Interventional Radiology. ACR appropriateness Criteria® management of liver cancer: 2022 update. J Am Coll Radiol. 2022;19:S390-408.
97. van de Lindt TN, Fast MF, van den Wollenberg W, et al. Validation of a 4D-MRI guided liver stereotactic body radiation therapy strategy for implementation on the MR-linac. Phys Med Biol 2021;66:105010.
98. Dhont J, Harden SV, Chee LYS, Aitken K, Hanna GG, Bertholet J. Image-guided radiotherapy to manage respiratory motion: lung and liver. Clin Oncol 2020;32:792-804.
99. Pottie K, Welch V, Morton R, et al. GRADE equity guidelines 4: considering health equity in GRADE guideline development: evidence to decision process. J Clin Epidemiol 2017;90:84-91.
100. Selene II, Ozen M, Patel RA. Hepatocellular carcinoma: advances in systemic therapy. Semin Intervent Radiol 2024;41:56-62.
101. Yau T, Galle PR, Decaens T, et al.; CheckMate 9DW investigators. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus lenvatinib or sorafenib as first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (CheckMate 9DW): an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2025;405:1851-64.
102. Griffiths CD, Zhang B, Tywonek K, Meyers BM, Serrano PE. Toxicity profiles of systemic therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2022;5:e2222721.
103. Sangro B, Sarobe P, Hervás-Stubbs S, Melero I. Advances in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021;18:525-43.
104. Foerster F, Gairing SJ, Ilyas SI, Galle PR. Emerging immunotherapy for HCC: a guide for hepatologists. Hepatology 2022;75:1604-26.
105. Su GL, Altayar O, O’Shea R, et al. AGA clinical practice guideline on systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology 2022;162:920-34.
106. De Gaetano V, Pallozzi M, Cerrito L, et al. Management of portal hypertension in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma on systemic treatment: current evidence and future perspectives. Cancers 2024;16:1388.
107. Gordan JD, Kennedy EB, Abou-Alfa GK, et al. Systemic Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: ASCO Guideline Update. J Clin Oncol 2024;42:1830-50.
108. Cabibbo G, Aghemo A, Lai Q, Masarone M, Montagnese S, Ponziani FR; Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF). Optimizing systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: the key role of liver function. Dig Liver Dis. 2022;54:452-60.
109. Likhitsup A, Parikh ND. Economic implications of hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance and treatment: a guide for clinicians. Pharmacoeconomics 2020;38:5-24.
110. Noteboom EA, May AM, van der Wall E, de Wit NJ, Helsper CW. Patients’ preferred and perceived level of involvement in decision making for cancer treatment: a systematic review. Psychooncology 2021;30:1663-79.
111. Nizet P, Grivel C, Rabeau P, et al. Patients’ preferences in therapeutic decision-making in digestive oncology: a single centre cross-sectional observational study. Sci Rep 2023;13:8534.
112. Graf J, Stengel A. Psychological burden and psycho-oncological interventions for patients with hepatobiliary cancers-a systematic review. Front Psychol 2021;12:662777.
113. Ruiz-Rodríguez I, Hombrados-Mendieta I, Melguizo-Garín A, Martos-Méndez MJ. The importance of social support, optimism and resilience on the quality of life of cancer patients. Front Psychol 2022;13:833176.
114. Pasek M, Goździalska A, Jochymek M, Caruso R. Social support in a cancer patient-informal caregiver dyad: a scoping review. Cancers 2023;15:1754.
115. Olver I, Keefe D, Herrstedt J, Warr D, Roila F, Ripamonti CI. Supportive care in cancer-a MASCC perspective. Support Care Cancer 2020;28:3467-75.





