Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma: A regained enthusiasm due to new therapeutic options?

Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma arising in cirrhosis has been recommended for a long time. However, the results of this screening have been disappointing mainly because of poor health status and liver function in patients with cirrhosis. Indeed, when an hepatocellular carcinoma is discovered by screening, surgical resection can rarely be performed. Recently, percutaneous ethanol injection has emerged as an efficient and well acceptable therapeutic procedure. In this review, we report our personnel opinion on the regained interest for screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in the light of percutaneous ethanol injection.