Current status of liver diseases in Korea: Hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective: Our study aims to detect the sensitivity of the new biomarker miR-212 existing in serum exosomes along with other hepatocellular carcinoma biomarkers such as AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), CA125 (carbohydrate antigen-ca125), and Hbx protein in the diagnosis of HBV-related liver diseases. We also aim to study the roles of these biomarkers in the progression of chronic hepatitis B and provide scientific data to show the clinical value of these biomarkers. Methods: We selected 200 patients with HBV-infection (58 cases of chronic hepatitis B, 47 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 30 cases of compensatory phase cirrhosis, and 65 cases of decompensatory phase cirrhosis), 31 patients with primary liver cancer without HBV infection, and 70 healthy individuals as the control group. The expression level of serum AFP and CA125 was detected with electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The expression level of the Hbx protein was detected with ELISA. Meanwhile, the expression level of miR-212 in serum was analyzed with RT-qPCR. We collected patients’ clinical information following the Child-Pugh classification and MELD score criterion, and statistical analysis was made between the expression level of miR-212 and the collected clinical indexes. Lastly, we predicted the target genes of the miR-212 and its functions using bioinformatics methods such as cluster analysis and survival prediction. Results: Compared to the control group, the expression level of miR-212 in HBV infected patients was remarkably increased (P<0.05), especially between the HBV-infection Hepatocellular carcinoma group and the non-HBVinfection liver cancer group (P<0.05). The expression of miR-212 was increased in patients’ Child-Pugh classification, MELD score, and TNM staging. Moreover, the sensitivity and specificity of miR-212 were superior to AFP, CA125, and HBx protein. Conclusion: There is a linear relationship between disease progression and expression level of miR-212 in the serum of HBV infected patients. This demonstrates that miR-212 plays a significant role in liver diseases. miR-212 is expected to be a new biomarker used for the diagnosis and assessment of patients with HBV-infection-related liver diseases.

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Phytosterols and Triterpenoids for Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic-related Liver Diseases and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201020666190219122357 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 197-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Isabel Sánchez-Crisóstomo ◽

Eduardo Fernández-Martínez ◽

Raquel Cariño-Cortés ◽

Gabriel Betanzos-Cabrera ◽

Rosa A. Bobadilla-Lugo

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Liver Disease ◽

Anticancer Agents ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Membrane Receptors ◽

New Drugs ◽

Sexual Hormones ◽

Steroid Nucleus ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Prevention And Treatment

Background: Liver ailments are among the leading causes of death; they originate from viral infections, chronic alcoholism, and autoimmune illnesses, which may chronically be precursors of cirrhosis; furthermore, metabolic syndrome may worsen those hepatopathies or cause Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) that may advance to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Cirrhosis is the late-stage liver disease and can proceed to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pharmacological treatment options for liver diseases, cirrhosis, and HCC, are limited, expensive, and not wholly effective. The use of medicinal herbs and functional foods is growing around the world as natural resources of bioactive compounds that would set the basis for the development of new drugs. Review and Conclusion: Plant and food-derived sterols and triterpenoids (TTP) possess antioxidant, metabolic-regulating, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as they are recognized as anticancer agents, suggesting their application strongly as an alternative therapy in some chronic diseases. Thus, it is interesting to review current reports about them as hepatoprotective agents, but also because they structurally resemble cholesterol, sexual hormones, corticosteroids and bile acids due to the presence of the steroid nucleus, so they all can share pharmacological properties through activating nuclear and membrane receptors. Therefore, sterols and TTP appear as a feasible option for the prevention and treatment of chronic metabolic-related liver diseases, cirrhosis, and HCC.

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Current Trends and Characteristics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13051023 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1023

Author(s):

Eirini I. Rigopoulou ◽

George N. Dalekos

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Primary Biliary Cholangitis ◽

Autoimmune Liver Diseases ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Liver Cancers ◽

Medium Risk ◽

Causes Of Mortality

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the commonest among liver cancers, is one of the leading causes of mortality among malignancies worldwide. Several reports demonstrate autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs), including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) to confer increased risk of hepatobiliary malignancies, albeit at lower frequencies compared to other liver diseases. Several parameters have been recognized as risk factors for HCC development in AIH and PBC, including demographics such as older age and male sex, clinical features, the most decisive being cirrhosis and other co-existing factors, such as alcohol consumption. Moreover, biochemical activity and treatment response have been increasingly recognized as prognostic factors for HCC development in AIH and PBC. As available treatment modalities are effective only when HCC diagnosis is established early, surveillance has been proven essential for HCC prognosis. Considering that the risk for HCC is not uniform between and within disease groups, refinement of screening strategies according to prevailing demographic, clinical, and molecular risk factors is mandated in AILDs patients, as personalized HCC risk prediction will offer significant advantage in patients at high and/or medium risk. Furthermore, future investigations should draw attention to whether modification of immunosuppression could benefit AIH patients after HCC diagnosis.

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The Role of Endoglin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22063208 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 3208

Author(s):

Kuo-Shyang Jeng ◽

I-Shyan Sheen ◽

Shu-Sheng Lin ◽

Chuen-Miin Leu ◽

Chiung-Fang Chang

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Transforming Growth Factor ◽

Antiangiogenic Therapy ◽

Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽

Postoperative Recurrence ◽

Transmembrane Glycoprotein ◽

Early Progression

Endoglin (CD105) is a type-1 integral transmembrane glycoprotein and coreceptor for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) ligands. The endoglin/TGF-β signaling pathway regulates hemostasis, cell proliferation/migration, extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis contributes to early progression, invasion, postoperative recurrence, and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most widespread malignancies globally. Endoglin is overexpressed in newly formed HCC microvessels. It increases microvessel density in cirrhotic and regenerative HCC nodules. In addition, circulating endoglin is present in HCC patients, suggesting potential for use as a diagnostic or prognostic factor. HCC angiogenesis is dynamic and endoglin expression varies by stage. TRC105 (carotuximab) is an antibody against endoglin, and three of its clinical trials were related to liver diseases. A partial response was achieved when combining TRC105 with sorafenib. Although antiangiogenic therapy still carries some risks, combination therapy with endoglin inhibitors or other targeted therapies holds promise.

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Current status of ctDNA in precision oncology for hepatocellular carcinoma

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-021-01940-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yan Li ◽

Yuanyuan Zheng ◽

Liwei Wu ◽

Jingjing Li ◽

Jie Ji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Diagnostic Technique ◽

Response Assessment ◽

Selection Response ◽

Circulating Tumor Dna ◽

Current Status ◽

Precision Oncology ◽

Tumor Biopsy ◽

Non Invasive

AbstractThe conventional method used to obtain a tumor biopsy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is invasive and does not evaluate dynamic cancer progression or assess tumor heterogeneity. It is thus imperative to create a novel non-invasive diagnostic technique for improvement in cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment selection, response assessment, and predicting prognosis for HCC. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a non-invasive liquid biopsy method that reveals cancer-specific genetic and epigenetic aberrations. Owing to the development of technology in next-generation sequencing and PCR-based assays, the detection and quantification of ctDNA have greatly improved. In this publication, we provide an overview of current technologies used to detect ctDNA, the ctDNA markers utilized, and recent advances regarding the multiple clinical applications in the field of precision medicine for HCC.

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Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Literature Review

International Journal of Hepatology ◽

10.4061/2011/104685 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Yasunori Minami ◽

Masatoshi Kudo

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Safety Margin ◽

Surgical Techniques ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Current Status ◽

Probe Design ◽

Curative Therapy ◽

Management Of Complications ◽

Liver Cancers

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver cancers can be performed safely using percutaneous, laparoscopic, or open surgical techniques, and much of the impetus for the use of RFA has come from cohort series that have provided an evidence base for this technique. Here, we give an overview of the current status of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including its physical properties, to assess the characteristics that make this technique applicable in clinical practice. We review the technical development of probe design and summarize current indications and outcomes of reported clinical use. An accurate evaluation of treatment response is very important to secure successful RFA therapy since a sufficient safety margin (at least 0.5 cm) can prevent local tumor recurrences. We also provide a profile of side effects and information on the integration of this technique into the general management of patients with HCC. To minimize complications of RFA, physicians should be familiar with each feature of complication. Appropriate management of complications is essential for successful RFA treatment. Moreover, adjuvant therapy, such as molecular targeted therapies following curative therapy, is expected to further improve survival after RFA.

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