Until the end of the nineties hepatocarcinoma, in Italy, was a pathology of almost exclusive interest to some hepatologists, very few surgeons and radiologists, almost no oncologist. The same scenario, of course, was recorded in Sicily, perhaps even much more evident, despite the fact that our Nation and our Region, had been heavily exposed to hepatitis C infection, to the consequent evolution into post-infectious cirrhosis and finally to hepatocarcinoma (HCC).
However, the few reference centers present on the national territory, taking example and teaching from those of East Asia, where HCC was endemic, adopted a varied and multidisciplinary strategy that in the following years has obtained significant diagnostic and clinical results.
This strategy can be summarized in a few essential points:
