Priorities for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) control : a comparison of policy needs in five European countries

In 2006, the European Parliament designated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) a serious public health problem, recognizing it as both a complex and deadly cancer. The authors conducted the first comparative needs assessment for HCC across five European countries. One hundred HCC experts assessed ten dimensions of HCC control. Common needs exist for lifestyle risk factor management (p < 0.001), political awareness (p < 0.001) and public awareness (p < 0.001). Discordances were found on funding for treatment (p = 0.001) and screening (p = 0.006), hepatitis C (p = 0.035), and hepatitis B (p = 0.050) strategies. The findings identify the priority needs, both common and country-specific, that should be addressed in these countries.