This contingency guide was formulated on the premise that delivering standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has come under strain due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Measures required are likely to vary largely across regions and individual institutions, depending on the level of the strain imposed by the pandemic (e.g., number of inpatients infected with COVID-19 and the availability of resources, including personal protective equipment and inpatient beds). In addition, models suggest that the second and third waves of COVID-19 will occur before effective vaccines and medicines become widely available in Japan (expected time, 2-3 years). This guide should serve as a good reference for best practices in the management of HCC, which is in light of the possible risk of impending collapse of the healthcare system due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.
Keywords: COVID-19; JAMTT-HCC | liver dysfunction | systemic therapy | up-to-seven criteria; hepatocellular carcinoma.
© 2020 The Authors. Hepatology Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Society of Hepatology.