Medline ® Abstract for Reference 94
of 'Prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma and recommendations for surveillance in adults with chronic liver disease'
94
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Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic liver disease: a systematic review.
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Kansagara D, Papak J, Pasha AS, O'Neil M, Freeman M, Relevo R, Quiñones A, Motu'apuaka M, Jou JH
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Ann Intern Med. 2014;161(4):261.
BACKGROUND:
Guidelines recommend routine screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high-risk patients, but the strength of evidence supporting these recommendations is unclear.
PURPOSE:
To review the benefits and harms of HCC screening in patients with chronic liver disease.
DATA SOURCES:
MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to April 2014; Cochrane databases to June 2013; reference lists; and technical advisors.
STUDY SELECTION:
English-language trials and observational studies comparing screening versus no screening, studies of harms, and trials comparing different screening intervals.
DATA EXTRACTION:
Mortality and adverse events were the outcomes of interest. Individual-study quality and the overall strength of evidence were dual-reviewed using published criteria.
DATA SYNTHESIS:
Of 13,801 citations, 22 studies met inclusion criteria. The overall strength of evidence on the effects of screening was very low. One large trial of patients with hepatitis B found decreased HCC mortality with periodic ultrasonographic screening (rate ratio, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.41 to 0.98]), but the study was limited by methodological flaws. Another trial in patients with hepatitis B found no survival benefit with periodicα-fetoprotein screening. In 18 observational studies, screened patients had earlier-stage HCC than clinically diagnosed patients, but lead- and length-time biases confounded the effects on mortality. Two trials found no survival differences between shorter (3- to 4-month) and longer (6- to 12-month) screening intervals. Harms of screening were not well-studied.
LIMITATIONS:
Only English-language studies were included. The evidence base is limited by methodological issues and a paucity of trials.
CONCLUSION:
There is very-low-strength evidence about the effects of HCC screening on mortality in patients with chronic liver disease. Screening tests can identify early-stage HCC, but whether systematic screening leads to a survival advantage over clinical diagnosis is uncertain.
PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE:
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative.
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PMID