The role of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of HCC

Abstract

Liver surgery is the first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Minimally invasive liver resection (MILS) has become an attractive option thanks to reduced intraoperative blood losses, shortened length of hospital stay, and similar oncological outcomes when compared to open liver resection. Nonetheless, the safety of MILS is still debated in challenging situations, such as in cirrhotic patients, difficult tumor locations, multiple or large tumors, and repeat resection. The aim of this review is to discuss current indications of laparoscopic liver resection for HCC treatment in the light of its outcomes, focusing on technical aspects of minimally invasive anatomic liver resection and state of the art of MILS in challenging situations.