Hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic collateral arterial supply

Haepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy, representing the fifth most common cancer in the world. Without treatment, the median survival of HCC patients has been reported to be 8 weeks from symptomatic presentation. Transarterial chemoembolisation is widely used to manage unresectable HCCs. However, when a tumour is large or locates near the liver capsule, it may receive supplies from vessels other than hepatic arteries. In this paper, we discuss the anatomy of possible extrahepatic collateral arterial supplies of HCCs.