Management of hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan: Consensus-based clinical practice guidelines proposed by the Japan society of hepatology (JSH) 2010 updated version

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death not only in Japan but also worldwide. Clinical practice guidelines for HCC were first published in 2001 by the European Society of Study of the Liver (EASL) followed by the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) published in 2005 and updated in 2010. However, these guidelines have proven to be somewhat unsuitable for Japanese patients. In 2005, supported by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for HCC were compiled in Japan. In 2009, a revised version of evidence-based guidelines was published. Based on both 'evidence-based' guidelines and the consensus of an expert panel on HCC, the Japan Society of Hepatology (JSH) published the Consensus-Based Clinical Practice Manual in 2007 and updated in 2010. In this article, the 2010 updated version of this manual, especially issues on prevention, surveillance, pathology, diagnosis, staging, and treatment algorithm are summarized.