Liquid Biopsy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells in Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment Monitoring.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor outcomes when diagnosed at an advanced stage. Current curative treatments are most effective in early-stage HCC, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. However, existing diagnostic methods, such as radiological imaging, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing, and biopsy, have limitations that hinder early diagnosis. AFP elevation is absent in a significant portion of tumors, and imaging may have low sensitivity for smaller tumors or in the presence of cirrhosis. Additionally, as our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of HCC grows, there is an increasing need for molecular information about the tumors. Biopsy, although informative, is invasive and may not always be feasible depending on tumor lo

SUBMITTER: Shaik MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10341811 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature