Risk Factors and Biomarkers for Chronic Hepatitis B Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 22; no. 2; p. 479
• Main Authors: Pandyarajan, Vijay, Govalan, Rajalakshmi, Yang, Ju Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06-01-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; biomarker; Biomarkers; Biopsy; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diabetes; Diagnosis; DNA; DNA damage; early detection; Exosomes; HBV; HCC; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Infections; Invasiveness; Liver cancer; Liver diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolites; Mutation; Obesity; Review; Risk analysis; risk factor; Risk factors; Smoking; Tumor cells; Tumors; HCC; liver cancer; early detection; biomarker; HBV; risk factor; liquid biopsy
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020479

Globally, hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of cancer-related mortality. This is, in part, due to delayed diagnosis and limited therapeutic options with more advanced stages of the disease. Given the prognostic importance of early diagnosis, novel methods for early detection are in need. Unlike most other cancer types, tissue is not required to diagnose HCC and is frequently avoided given the inherent risks of liver biopsy, so less invasive methods of obtaining tumor material are currently under investigation. Material shed from tumors into the periphery are being investigated for their potential to both surveil and diagnose patients for HCC. These materials include circulating tumor cells, DNA, RNA, and exosomes, and are collectively termed a "liquid biopsy". In this review article, we discuss the evolving literature regarding the different risk factors for HCC and the types of emerging novel biomarkers that show promise in the prevention and early diagnosis of HCC within the context of HBV infection.