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Review
. 2020 Sep 27;12(9):558-573.
doi: 10.4254/wjh.v12.i9.558.

Biomarkers for hepatocellular cancer

Affiliations
Review

Biomarkers for hepatocellular cancer

Gurjot Singh et al. World J Hepatol. .

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. If diagnosed early, curative treatment options such as surgical resection, loco-regional therapies, and liver transplantation are available to patients, increasing their chances of survival and improving their quality of life. Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed with late stage HCC where only palliative treatment is available. Therefore, biomarkers which could detect HCC early with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, may play a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of the disease. This review will aim to provide an overview of the different biomarkers of HCC comprising those used in the diagnosis of HCC in at risk populations, as well as others with potential for prognosis, risk predisposition and prediction of response to therapeutic intervention.

Keywords: Algorithm; Biomarkers; Cancer; Diagnosis; Genetic; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Liquid biopsy.; Liver cancer; Micro-RNA; Plasma; Prognosis; Review; Scoring models; Serum; miRNA.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The development of hepatocellular carcinoma is recognized to occur through intermediate steps involving inflammation or fibrosis (cirrhosis) via a variety of mechanisms. NASH: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; TERT: Telomerase reverse transcriptase; CTNNB1: Catenin beta 1; TP53: Tumor protein 53; CDKN2: Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A; ARID1A: AT-Rich Interaction Domain 1A; ARID2A: AT-Rich Interaction Domain 2A; VEGFA: Vascular endothelial growth factor A; FGF19: Fibroblast growth factor 19; CNND1: Cyclin D1; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma.
Formula 1
Formula 1
Formula 2
Formula 2
Figure 2
Figure 2
Markers associated with cancer development and those associated with response to surgical intervention or chemotherapy. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; AFP-L3: Isoform of AFP binding lectin L3; DCP: Des-gamma carboxyprothrombin; AKBR1B0: Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member 10; SALL4: Sal-like protein 4; GALAD: Gender, Age: Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive of alpha-fetoprotein, Alpha-fetoprotein, and Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin.

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