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Updated: Feb 28, 2026
12:24
A Three-Dimensional Spheroid Model to Investigate the Tumor-Stromal Interaction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: September 30, 2021
6.2K
Targeting Fatty Acids in Liver Cancer: Molecular Insights and Drug Approaches
Antonio Cigliano1, Dora Pischedda2, Claudio Pandino3
1Faculty of Medicine, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy.
Biomolecules
|February 27, 2026
Summary
Dysregulated fatty acid metabolism fuels liver cancer (PLC) growth, proliferation, and drug resistance by altering oncogenic pathways and the tumor microenvironment. Targeting these metabolic alterations offers promising therapeutic strategies for PLC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Metabolic Research
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Primary liver cancer (PLC), including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), is aggressive with poor outcomes.
- Emerging evidence links aberrant fatty acid metabolism to HCC progression and treatment failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the dynamic role of fatty acid metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) survival, proliferation, and drug resistance.
- To explore the impact of fatty acid metabolism on the tumor microenvironment and PLC progression.
- To discuss potential therapeutic targets and strategies for targeting fatty acid metabolism in PLC.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on the molecular mechanisms of fatty acid metabolism in HCC.
- Analysis of how altered fatty acid processes influence oncogenic signaling and cellular adaptation.
- Examination of the interplay between fatty acid metabolism, immune cells, and angiogenesis.
Main Results:
- Upregulation of fatty acid transporters, de novo lipogenesis, and altered oxidation promote HCC cell survival and proliferation.
- Fatty acid metabolism influences the tumor microenvironment by affecting immune cells and angiogenesis.
- Targeting fatty acid metabolism presents promising avenues for novel therapeutic strategies.
Conclusions:
- Fatty acid metabolism is a critical driver of HCC progression and therapeutic resistance.
- Targeting fatty acid metabolism holds potential for innovative PLC treatments.
- Integrating precision therapies targeting fatty acid metabolism with existing treatments may improve patient outcomes.
Keywords:
drug resistanceinnovative therapieslipid metabolismmetabolic reprogrammingpersonalized medicineprimary liver cancertumor microenvironmentMore Related Videos
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