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Semin Liver Dis 2017; 37(04): 296-304
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1608775
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Overdiagnosis: An Understudied Issue in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance

Nicole E. Rich
1   Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
,
Neehar D. Parikh
2   Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
,
Amit G. Singal
1   Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 December 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Overdiagnosis, the detection of clinically insignificant disease that would not otherwise impact the patient's lifespan, is a phenomenon that has been described in several solid tumors, such as prostate, breast, thyroid, and lung cancers. Population-based efforts to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality in cirrhosis patients by screening and early detection may result in the overdiagnosis of HCC. One of the harms of overdiagnosis is subsequent overtreatment, which can result in increased costs, as well as physical side effects, psychological harms, and poorer quality of life. In this review, the authors explore the potential for overdiagnosis in HCC.

Keywords

overdiagnosis - overtreatment - harms - surveillance - screening - HCC