Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is swiftly increasing in prevalence globally with a high mortality rate. The progression of HCC in patients is induced with advanced fibrosis, mainly cirrhosis, and hepatitis. The absence of proper preventive or curative treatment methods encouraged extensive research against HCC to develop new therapeutic strategies. The Food and Drug Administration-approved Nexavar (sorafenib) is used in the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC. In 2017, Stivarga (regorafenib) and Opdivo (nivolumab) got approved for patients with HCC after being treated with sorafenib, and in 2018, Lenvima (lenvatinib) got approved for patients with unresectable HCC. But, owing to the rapid drug resistance development and toxicities, these treatment options are not completely satisfactory. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new systemic combination therapies that target different signaling mechanisms, thereby decreasing the prospect of cancer cells developing resistance to treatment. In this review, HCC etiology and new therapeutic strategies that include currently approved drugs and other potential candidates of HCC such as Milciclib, palbociclib, galunisertib, ipafricept, and ramucirumab are evaluated.
Highlights
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent malignancy of the liver, which is considered the second leading cause of cancer death in the US
HCC linked to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) occurs in patients who are suffering from HBV infection most their lives, namely chronic hepatitis B.8
HBV infections may develop into HCC in the presence or absence of cirrhosis due to the genetic mutation induced by HBV.[9]
Summary
Aastha Jindal y, Anusha Thadi y, Kunwar Shailubhai y,z y Research and Development Center, Baruch S. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent malignancy of the liver, which is considered the second leading cause of cancer death in the US It is considered as the fifth most detected cancer in men and the seventh most detected cancer in women in the USA and the third most leading cause of cancer death worldwide.[1] In many parts of the world including Europe, North America, and Latin America, the rate of liver cancer is increasing by 3.1% each year from 2008 to 2012, as reported by the database of the National Cancer Institute in the US.[2] According to recent reports, the highest incidence rate of liver cancer in the world occurs in Africa and Asia. HCC linked to HBV occurs in patients who are suffering from HBV infection most their lives, namely chronic hepatitis B.8
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