Contemporary role of liver biopsy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

A correct diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients with focal liver lesions is one of the most important issues nowadays. Probably one of the oldest debates in the hepatology community is whether to perform liver biopsy (LB) in all cirrhotic patients with focal liver lesions. We now face a time when oncology is moving towards personalized medicine. According to the current European Association for the study of Liver diseases HCC guidelines, LB has only a minor role in the management of HCC. However, the current recommendations were made more than five years ago. As time has passed, the development of high-throughput molecular technologies has helped reveal the main molecular mechanism involved in HCC development and progression. Several subtypes of HCC, with both molecular and histological characterization, have been described. Importantly, some of these subtypes have prognostic impact. In the context of personalized treatment, the role of LB will be carefully reconsidered. Until then, it is mandatory to know the various techniques of LB, their performances, complications and limitations. The balance of risk and benefit defines many of the decisions that we make as providers of medical care. In this review, we discuss not only the risks associated with LB, but also the benefits of biopsy in various clinical scenarios. Not long from now, the role of LB will be reconsidered. It is possible that we will go back in time and once again use biopsy for HCC diagnosis. Then again, we may move back to the future to try to improve the use of liquid biopsy in the follow-up of HCC patients after various treatment modalities.

Keywords: Molecular classification; Bleeding; Seeding; Liver biopsy; Hepatocellular carcinoma

Core tip: We now face a time when oncology is moving towards personalized medicine. The development of high-throughput molecular technologies has allowed us to define the main molecular mechanism involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. Several subtypes of HCC have been described using both molecular and histological characterization. In the context of histological HCC sub-classes, each with distinct molecular patterns and prognostic impacts, the need for liver biopsy in HCC management becomes a necessity. In this era of personalized medicine, knowing the strengths of each sampling technique is of the utmost importance.