GHAPPcast: Smarter Surveillance: The Rise of Algorithms like GALAD and Their Path to Practice

October 2025

Thank you Fujifilm for your support on this podcast episode.

In this episode of GHAPPcast, the official podcast of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Advanced Practice Providers, host Samantha Ramirez, NP-C is joined by Tracy Licari, PA-C to explore the rise of biomarker-based algorithms like GALAD in the surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With more than 25 years of hepatology experience, Tracy shares insights on how combining biomarkers such as AFP, AFP-L3, and DCP with demographic factors like age and gender can improve diagnostic accuracy, risk stratification, and early detection compared to AFP alone. The discussion highlights how GALAD has consistently demonstrated higher accuracy in retrospective studies, the importance of ongoing prospective validation, and the potential for these algorithms to reshape surveillance, treatment response monitoring, and post-transplant risk assessment. Samantha and Tracy also provide practical ways for clinicians to explain complex biomarker concepts to patients without overwhelming them, reinforcing the importance of education and shared decision-making in liver cancer care. This episode delivers actionable insights for APPs, hepatologists, and GI clinicians seeking to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of biomarker-driven surveillance.