Primary Liver Cancer: Clinical Aspects, Prognostic Factors and Predictive Response to Therapy

The primary liver cancer (PLC) is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh most common cancer in women, worldwide, with the 85% of PLC occurring in developing countries1. In fact, the rates in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia and Middle and Western Africa are the highes. Interestingly, in developed countries such as North America and Europe, rates are generally lower2. The high mortality rates associated with liver cancer are similar despite the geographic area1. In 2002, more than 377,000 people have died from liver cancer in Eastern Asia (about 19% of the total number of cancer-related deaths)3. In 2008, an estimated 694,000 deaths from liver cancer (477,000 men and 217,000 women) have been reported.