Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance – Clinical MCQ
Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma is performed in patients at increased risk of developing HCC, particularly those with cirrhosis and selected patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
Ultrasound-based surveillance at approximately 6-month intervals is the standard approach. Serum AFP may be used as an adjunct depending on the guideline and clinical setting, but AFP alone is not considered an adequate surveillance strategy.
A. AFP alone every 6 months – Incorrect.
AFP has limited sensitivity and specificity. It should not be relied upon as the
sole surveillance modality for HCC.
C. All transplant candidates every 3 months – Incorrect.
More frequent surveillance is not routinely required for every patient awaiting
liver transplantation. The surveillance interval may vary according to individual
clinical circumstances and the presence of known lesions.
D. Nodules larger than 2 cm should simply be followed more frequently – Incorrect.
A liver lesion larger than 2 cm requires appropriate diagnostic evaluation,
usually with multiphasic contrast-enhanced imaging, rather than merely more
frequent surveillance.
The key interval to remember for HCC surveillance is 6 months. Ultrasound is the cornerstone of surveillance, while AFP may be used as an additional tool depending on the clinical protocol.
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