The utility of serum exosomal microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-associated deaths each year. Due to the invasive, fast growth and insidious onset of HCC, most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, reducing the effectiveness of radical surgery. Therefore, effective early detection and diagnostic methods are crucial for improving the treatment and prognosis of HCC patients. Exosomes are 40- to 100-nm-sized vesicles that are released from many cell types into the extracellular space, and extensive evidence has suggested that exosomes are involved in the occurrence and development of HCC. Recently, the presence of microRNAs (miRNAs) in exosomes has been verified. Such miRNAs can be internalized by neighboring or distant cells to subsequently regulate multiple target genes in recipient cells at the posttranscriptional level and affect the processes of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge about the potential utility of serum exosomal miRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.