Topic: Updates on Minimally Invasive Surgery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver tumor and the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide, representing a leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis. Liver resection has proven beneficial for patients presenting with a disease ranging from the very early to the intermediate stages, significantly improving survival rates.

Minimally invasive techniques, introduced three decades ago, have progressively established themselves as safe and effective for liver resections, now widely adopted by most specialized hepatobiliary units.

More recently, robotic platforms have experienced widespread expansion in all fields, including liver surgery, owing to improved movement precision, a stable three-dimensional view, superior ergonomics, and shorter learning curves. Recent reports indicate results comparable to laparoscopy in terms of clinical outcomes, with the theoretical potential to increase the rate of minimally invasive major hepatic resections. This can be attributed to easier access to liver segments, such as the caudate lobe and the posterosuperior segments, which were previously challenging for laparoscopic approaches.

In this rapidly evolving scenario, accumulating evidence is crucial to identifying the best possible treatment strategies that are both highly effective and cost-effective for treating a disease as complex as hepatocellular carcinoma.

This Special Issue aims to present an overview of the latest advancements, research findings, and breakthroughs in the field of minimally invasive surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma. We invite articles that cover a wide range of topics related to minimally invasive surgical techniques, innovative technologies, patient outcomes, and any other aspects that contribute to the current understanding of hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Emerging Techniques in Minimally Invasive Approaches for Hepatocellular Carcinoma;
2. Minimally invasive techniques in major liver resections for HCC;
3. Minimally invasive techniques in minor liver resections for HCC;
4. Robotic liver resections for HCC;
5. Minimally invasive surgery and locoregional treatments for HCC;
\6. Multidisciplinary approach to Minimally Invasive Hepatic Oncology Procedures;
7. Personalized Approaches in Minimally Invasive HCC Surgery;
8. Efficacy of laparoscopic versus robotic versus open liver surgery for HCC;
9. Development of minimally invasive liver surgery programs;
10. Evolution of minimally invasive therapeutic options for HCC;
11. Precision medicine and minimally invasive treatments for HCC.

31 May 2024