Biomarkers for virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and is advanced by severe viral hepatitis B or C (HBV or HCV) as well as alcoholic liver disease. Many patients with early disease are asymptomatic therefore HCC is frequently diagnosed late requiring costly surgical resection or transplantation. The available non-invasive detections systems are based on the clinical utility of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) measurement, together with ultrasound and other more sensitive imaging techniques. The hallmark of liver disease and its propensity to develop into fully blown HCC is depended on several factors including the host genetic make-up and immune responses. While common symptoms involve diarrhea, bone pain, dyspnea, intraperitoneal bleeding, obstructive jaundice, and paraneoplastic syndrome, the evolution of cell and immune markers is important to understand viral induced liver cancers in humans. The circulating miRNA, cell and immune based HCC biomarkers are imperative candidates to successfully develop strategies to restrain liver injury. The current molecular genetics and proteomic analysis have lead to the identification of number of key biomarkers for HCC for earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment of HCC patients. In this review article, we provide latest updates on the biomarkers of HBV or HCV-associated HCC and their co-evolutionary relationship with liver cancer.