Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2695:213-225. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3346-5_14.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most deadly neoplasms with a poor prognosis. Due to the significant tumor heterogeneity of HCC, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) or liver biopsy has not yet met the clinical needs in terms of early diagnosis or determining prognosis. In recent years, liquid biopsy techniques that analyze tumor by-products released into the circulation have shown great potential. Its ability to monitor tumors in real time and respond to their global characteristics is expected to improve the management of HCC patients clinically. This review discusses some of the findings of a liquid biopsy in terms of diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Cell-free DNA; Circulating tumor cells; Diagnosis; Extracellular vesicles; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Liquid biopsy; Prognosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Liquid Biopsy
  • Liver Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms* / pathology
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis

Substances

  • alpha-Fetoproteins
  • Biomarkers, Tumor