Molecular and cellular secrets revealed: How umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells can target hepatocellular...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and deadly malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract, with rising incidence and mortality worldwide. Standard treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, are often limited by adverse effects, tumor recurrence, and low 5-year survival rates.

This review aimed to summarize current evidence on the therapeutic potential of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and their related products, such as conditioned media and extracellular vesicles, in the treatment of HCC.

UC-MSCs, a type of multipotent stem cell sourced from the umbilical cord, exhibit promising anticancer effects by modulating cellular and molecular pathways involved in HCC progression. Recent studies report encouraging outcomes regarding their efficacy and safety in preclinical and early clinical settings.

MSCs extracted from the umbilical cord can represent a novel and promising approach for HCC therapy, potentially overcoming limitations of conventional treatments. Further research is needed to fully elucidate their mechanisms of action and to translate these findings into effective clinical applications.