The Molecular Pathogenesis and Clinical Implications of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Figure 1

The etiology of HCC has been reported to be related to a variety of diseases such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and metabolic syndrome including diabetes mellitus. Regeneration of damaged hepatocytes reveals the activation of stem cells. The abilities of self renewal and infinite proliferation are closely related to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Stem cells in the liver are divided into several types, including oval cells, small hepatocytes, and progenitor cells. HCC cells and liver cancer stem cells could derive from mutation of these stem cells. The origin of the stem cells could be from either mature hepatocytes or bone marrow cells.