PDGFRalpha: a new therapeutic target in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma?
BACKGROUND
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops most often in a background of chronic inflammatory liver injury from viral infection or alcohol use. Most HCCs are diagnosed at a stage at which surgical resection is not feasible. Even in patients receiving surgery rates of recurrence and metastasis remain high. There are few effective HCC therapies and hence a need for novel, rational approaches to treatment. Platelet derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFR-alpha) is involved in tumor angiogenesis and maintenance of the tumor microenvironment and has been implicated in development and metastasis of HCC.


OBJECTIVE
To examine PDGFR-alpha as a target for therapy of HCC and explore opportunities and strategies for PDGFR-alpha inhibition.


METHODS
A review of relevant literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Targeted inhibition of PDGFR-alpha is a rational strategy for prevention and therapy of HCC.
Oseini
Abdul M
AM
Miles and Shirley Fiterman Center for Digestive Diseases College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. roberts.lewis@mayo.edu
Roberts
Lewis R
LR