Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Katherine A. McGlynn, Jessica L. Petrick, Hashem B. El-Serag
Summary: Liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a major global health concern. While HBV and HCV remain important risk factors for HCC, efforts in vaccination and treatment are showing promise. However, the increasing prevalence of metabolic risk factors like obesity and diabetes, as well as other factors like excessive alcohol consumption, present ongoing challenges in the prevention of liver cancer.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Maria Reig, Giuseppe Cabibbo
Summary: The potential impact of DAAs in BCLC-B/C stage patients with HCC is understudied, as HCC patients have been excluded from DAA trials. The decision on using DAAs should be made based on individual patient profiles.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Aurelie Beaufrere, Julien Calderaro, Valerie Paradis
Summary: Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) is a tumor with both hepatocytic and biliary differentiation, whose diagnosis is primarily based on morphology and immunostaining, with a prognosis worse than hepatocellular carcinoma and treatment limited to surgery.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Lorenza Rimassa, Richard S. Finn, Bruno Sangro
Summary: Single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have limited efficacy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and approximately 30% of patients show intrinsic resistance to ICIs. Therefore, researchers are exploring combination therapies, such as anti-angiogenic agents and other ICIs. Some trials have shown promising results and potential for clinical application. However, there are still many unanswered questions that require further research.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Tian-Run Lv, Hai-Jie Hu, Parbatraj Regmi, Fei Liu, Fu-Yu Li
Summary: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) is a rare subtype of primary liver malignancies. Compared to conventional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), SHCC has worse prognosis and exhibits more aggressive behavior.
JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju, Begum Dariya, Prameswari Kasa, Sujatha Peela, Sujatha Peela Bassel F. El-Rayes
Summary: HCC is the most common primary malignancy of the liver, with a high fatality rate. Genetic and epigenetic aberrations are commonly observed in HCC, including chromatin remodeling, histone alterations, DNA methylation, and ncRNA expression. In-depth understanding of the epigenetics of HCC is critical for developing rational clinical strategies, improving overall survival, and predicting therapeutic outcomes.
SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Rubens Copia Sperandio, Roberto Carmagnani Pestana, Beatriz Viesser Miyamura, Ahmed O. Kaseb
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common primary liver malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related death. Single-agent anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) showed initial promise, but failed to demonstrate efficacy in phase III trials. The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab has been approved as first-line therapy, showing significant improvements in response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival compared to standard treatments. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the use of ICIs in combination with other drugs.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Chuanrui Xu, Zhong Xu, Yi Zhang, Matthias Evert, Diego F. Calvisi, Xin Chen
Summary: Deregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a major genetic alteration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its activation plays an oncogenic role in hepatocarcinogenesis. The activated pathway is associated with specific gene expression patterns and pathological features, and it synergizes with other signaling cascades to promote HCC formation. Therefore, understanding and targeting this pathway has important implications for the diagnosis, classification, and personalized treatment of HCC.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Chenbin Liu, Han Wu, Yinqi Mao, Wei Chen, Shuying Chen
Summary: Exosomal microRNAs play a crucial role in hepatocellular carcinoma, holding significant value in the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
CANCER CELL INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Sihang Yu, Lei Zhou, Jiaying Fu, Long Xu, Buhan Liu, Yuanxin Zhao, Jian Wang, Xiaoyu Yan, Jing Su
Summary: There is increasing evidence showing the crucial role of the immune microenvironment, particularly the polarization state and function of macrophages, in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Tumor-derived exosomes in hepatocellular carcinoma act as information carriers and regulate the physiological state of cells in the microenvironment, thus controlling cancer progression. This review focuses on the role of exosome content in disease outcomes at different stages of hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma, and explores the mechanism by which macrophages contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma formation and the regulation of macrophage functions by the heterogeneity of exosome loading. The application prospects of exosome-based targeted drug delivery in immunotherapy research on hepatocellular carcinoma are also summarized.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mingzhen Zhou, Baorui Liu, Jie Shen
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy with late-appearing symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. Immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, liver cancer vaccines, and cellular therapies, has emerged as a new hope for HCC treatment by regulating the immune system to target liver cancer cells.
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ming Ren Toh, Evelyn Yi Ting Wong, Sunny Hei Wong, Alvin Wei Tian Ng, Lit-Hsin Loo, Pierce Kah-Hoe Chow, Joanne Ngeow
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading global cancer, primarily occurring in genetically susceptible individuals with liver cirrhosis and exposure to risk factors. Temporal and geographical variations exist in HCC, with a shift from viral to nonviral causes and a higher burden in regions with a high sociodemographic index. Hepatitis viruses are the predominant causes of HCC in Asia and Africa, while genetic conditions contributing to HCC risk are less recognized outside North America and Europe. This review evaluates the epidemiology, risk factors, and genetics of HCC, including monogenic diseases, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, gut microbiome, and somatic mutations.
Review
Oncology
Zhe Fan, Pengcheng Zhou, Binghui Jin, Guangyao Li, Lu Feng, Chengjun Zhuang, Shuang Wang
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignant tumor of hepatocytes that often has hidden presentation and rapid progression. Early stage HCC has no obvious symptoms and is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it difficult to treat with only supportive and symptomatic treatment. Recent advancements in medical technology have led to the development of comprehensive treatment methods based on surgery.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kuo-Shyang Jeng, I-Shyan Sheen, Shu-Sheng Lin, Chuen-Miin Leu, Chiung-Fang Chang
Summary: Endoglin (CD105) is a vital protein associated with angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), potentially serving as a diagnostic or prognostic factor. Combining TRC105, an antibody against endoglin, with sorafenib can achieve partial response. While antiangiogenic therapy carries risks, combination therapy with endoglin inhibitors or other targeted therapies shows promise.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Zhijie Wang, Yichuan Wang, Peng Gao, Jin Ding
Summary: The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has greatly improved the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has resulted in prolonged survival for responsive patients. However, only a subset of HCC patients benefit from ICIs, and resistance can develop in initially responsive patients. Various factors contribute to ICI resistance, including the tumor microenvironment (TME), antigen expression and presentation, tumor heterogeneity, and gut microbiota. Investigating the mechanisms of ICI resistance is crucial to enhance the clinical benefit. Combination therapies have shown promise in preventing and reversing ICI resistance, and ongoing studies are exploring new combination therapies to overcome resistance.
Article
Oncology
Aradhya Nigam, Jason S. Hawksworth, Emily R. Winslow
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Mignote Yilma, Neil Mehta
Summary: Liver transplantation (LT) remains the optimal treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but considerations must be given to organ availability and risk of recurrence. In the United States, Milan criteria have been used to maximize the benefit of LT compared to alternative treatments. Advances in local regional therapy (LRT) have allowed us to downstage patients to meet Milan criteria, and newer selection criteria incorporating biomarkers and imaging are being developed to further optimize LT for HCC patients.
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Anthony Bejjani, Richard S. Finn
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Ifrah Fatima, Neehar D. Parikh, Alisa Likhitsup
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Victoria Chernyak
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Gloria Y. Chang, Adam C. Yopp
Summary: HCC is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and its prognosis is complex and diverse, requiring consideration of tumor burden, biology, liver function, and patient status in treatment decision-making.
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Mikin Patel, Anjana Pillai
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Zachary Whitham, David Hsiehchen
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Mariana Chavez-Villa, Ismael Dominguez-Rosado
Summary: Over the past 40 years, multiple staging systems have been developed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to guide treatment and determine prognosis. However, the heterogeneity of HCC and advances in diagnostic and therapeutic tools have made staging algorithms and eligibility criteria more complex. Recent advances in neoadjuvant therapy, downstaging, and adjuvant therapy have challenged traditional paradigms but also raised new questions. Although there is no perfect or universal staging system yet, models will continue to be refined as evidence advances. Individualized decision making and multidisciplinary approaches will play key roles in the management of HCC.
SURGICAL ONCOLOGY CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
(2024)
