A study comparing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in South Africa and Sweden found stark differences in survival and access to curative treatment, underscoring the need for region-specific guidelines.

• South African HCC patients were younger (median age 50 vs. 71) and predominantly had hepatitis B-related HCC (60% vs. 3.6%) compared to their Swedish counterparts.
• Only 9.2% of South African patients received curative therapies, versus 42.5% in Sweden, resulting in significantly worse overall survival rates: 1-year survival was 17.8% in South Africa vs. 59.3% in Sweden.

These disparities highlight the urgency for tailored clinical guidelines to improve HCC management in lower-income settings.