Review: Pathogenesis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

A new review was published in the journal Genes and Cancer on December 13, 2022, titled "Pathogenesis to management of hepatocellular carcinoma.
"

In this review, researchers discuss hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, whose incidence continues to rise
in many parts of the world due to a simultaneous increase in many associated risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and obesity.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third most common cause
of cancer death.

Although early-stage HCC can be cured by hepatectomy, hepato-directed therapy, or transplantation, patients often present with intermediate and advanced disease, which is still associated with
a poor prognosis.
This is because HCC is a very complex cancer that includes a great deal of clinical, histopathological, and genomic heterogeneity
.
However, the scientific community has better characterized HCC
in these aspects by utilizing tissue sampling and histological classification, whole genome sequencing, and developing viable animal models.

The ultimate goal of these efforts is to develop clinically relevant biomarkers and discover molecular targets for new therapies
.
For example, until recently, only one approved systemic treatment for advanced or metastatic HCC was sorafenib
.
As a result of these efforts, some additional targeted therapies have been approved in the United States, although much progress
is still made.

"This review will focus on the link
between features of the pathogenesis of HCC and current and future HCC treatments.
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