Treatment Patterns and Recommendations for Improving the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Ashwaq Alolyan,1 Kanan Alshammari,1 Mohammad Arabi,1 Ahmed Alshehri,2 Hamad Alsuhaibani,3 Fahad Ibnshamsah,4 Abdullah Alsharm,5 Mervat Mahrous,6,7 Adnan Al Zanbagi,8 Mazen Hassanain,9 Shouki Bazarbashi10 1Department of Medical Oncology, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Oncology, King Khalid National Guard Hospital Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Medical Oncology, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Medical Oncology, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Oncology, Prince Sultan Military Medical City Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Medicine, Minia University of Egypt, Faculty of Medicine, Minia, Egypt; 8Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Surgery, King Saudi University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 10Department of Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Shouki Bazarbashi, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common type of cancer in the world associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite being a significant healthcare burden there is limited information on the unmet needs and current treatment practices for intermediate and advanced-stage HCC in Saudi Arabia. This article analyzes the gaps and provides expert consensus on the management strategies for unresectable HCC in Saudi Arabia. A pre-meeting online questionnaire, comprising 20 objective questions about the treatment landscape and diagnosis of HCC in Saudi Arabia, was distributed to experts in the field of HCC management. An advisory board meeting including a panel of 13 experts was held in September 2022 where the responses to the survey questionnaire were reviewed and discussed. The survey results and experts’ discussion highlighted the growing incidence of liver cancer in Saudi Arabia. HCC comprised the majority of all liver cancer cases due to rising rates of chronic viral infections and lifestyle-related risk factors. Most physicians in Saudi Arabia follow the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer guidelines as a prognostic tool for the detection and staging of patients with HCC. Most of the patients with HCC in Saudi Arabia are diagnosed in the intermediate or advanced stages with poor prognoses and limited therapeutic options. Establishing evidence-based surveillance techniques, a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, and better accessibility of treatment options is vital for the management of HCC in Saudi Arabia.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, treatment patterns, multidisciplinary

Keywords

• hepatocellular carcinoma
• treatment patterns
• multidisciplinary