Patient experiences, understanding of and barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma ultrasound surveillance: a multicentre United Kingdom (UK) survey.

AIM: Patient compliance with 6-monthly ultrasound surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is suboptimal globally. This United Kingdom (UK)-based multicentre study aimed to characterise (i) demographics of patients attending HCC ultrasound surveillance (ii) their experiences and (iii) perceived barriers to attendance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicentre questionnaire-based study prospectively enrolled adult patients undergoing primary or secondary HCC surveillance between February and July 2024 across 12 centres at the time of surveillance ultrasound. Questionnaires were made available in both hardcopy and electronic formats to increase accessibility. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 832 respondents participated (57.2% [476/832] male, median age 61.2 years [interquartile range {IQR}: 54-70], 74.1% [700/832] White British). Eighteen point three percent (152/832) had tertiary level of educational attainment and 21.2% (176/832) were in full-time paid employment. Overall, 61.4% (511/832) reported attending surveillance every six months. Although 49.3% (410/832) received both written and verbal communication regarding the reason for surveillance, only 15% (125/832) correctly identified the purpose as detecting liver cancer. The most popular preference for receiving results was from their liver doctor/nurse (363/832, 43.6%) followed by the scan operator (23.6% (196/832]). Of the 12.6% (105/832) who reported missing previous surveillance scans, common reasons were feeling unwell (29.5%), forgetting (20%), and transport difficulties (16.2%). Regarding the present surveillance appointment, median travel time was 30 minutes, with 11.1% (92/832) reporting transport difficulties. CONCLUSION: This is the first multicentre UK study to explore patient experiences of HCC ultrasound surveillance, highlighting knowledge gaps and barriers to attendance, and providing a foundation for improving patient accessibility and implementation of HCC surveillance.