With recent updates to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Classification (BCLC), how should multidisciplinary teams adapt their treatment strategies to accommodate the newest evidence? In this episode of the BackTable Podcast 2026 HCC Creator Weekend™, Dr. Neil Mehta of UCSF and Dr. Riad Salem of Northwestern Medicine join host Dr. Tyler Sandow to explore the complexities of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapies and the practical application of the latest global algorithms in balancing standardized therapeutic algorithms with individual patient factors.

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Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction
01:54 - HCC Case Discussion
08:05 - Guest Introductions
10:37 - BCLC Committee and 2025 Update
15:54 - CUSE and Tumor Board Goals
17:46 - Bridging vs Curative Y90
22:37 - Patient Factors in Treatment Algorithms
26:41 - Liver Function and Hyperbilirubinemia Trends
30:25 - HCC Treatment Decision Ownership
34:36 - Radiation Segmentectomy vs Surgical Resection
37:35 - BCLC B Heterogeneity
41:51 - Improving HCC Risk Stratification
43:48 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

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More about this episode

The discussion begins with an inside look at the consensus process behind the 2025 BCLC updates, highlighting the official inclusion of Y90 radioembolization as a recognized therapeutic option. The experts introduce the "CUSE" (Complexity, Uncertainty, Subjectivity, and Emotion) framework to provide a structured approach to the subjective considerations that modulate purely data-based algorithms in multidisciplinary decision-making. Dr. Salem and Dr. Mehta speak on the nuances of surgical resection versus radiation segmentectomy in a case-based discussion, highlighting how factors such as portal hypertension, patient age, and etiology of cirrhosis should influence treatment pathways. Finally, they underscore the paradigm shift toward pursuing complete pathonecrosis (CPN) as a primary curative goal, regardless of bridging status, and reiterate that success in HCC care is driven by continuous communication and collaboration between physicians and patients.

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Resources

BCLC 2026 Update
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2025.10.020

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BackTable Vascular & Interventional (VI) is the go-to podcast for interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and interventional cardiologists.

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