The Effect of New Therapeutic and Diagnostic Agents on the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Japan – An Analysis of Data from the Kanagawa Cancer Registry

OBJECTIVE: Notable advances in diagnostic imaging modalities and therapeutic agents have contributed to improvement in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over the past decade. However, knowledge concerning their epidemiological contribution remains limited. The present study investigated the effect of emerging diagnostic and therapeutic agents on HCC prognosis, using the largest regional cancer registry in Japan. METHODS: Using data from the Kanagawa Cancer Registry, the five-year survival rate of patients with liver cancer was estimated according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (10th Edition). RESULT: A total of 40,276 cases of HCC (from 1976 to 2013) were identified. The prognosis markedly improved after the introduction of new devices into the diagnosis and treatment of HCC (p<0.01). The trend of survival rate varied significantly between institutions with many registered patients (high-volume centers) (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The five-year survival rate of patients with HCC in Kanagawa has markedly improved in recent years. This improvement in survival may be attributed to the advances in surveillance and intervention for the treatment of HCC.