title: Can hepatocellular carcinoma be treated by Yondelis through targeting both tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The initiation, progression, invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma are closely associated with chronic inflammation caused by hepatitis virus infection, while tumor-associated macrophages are a major component of inflammatory infiltrates in intratumoral or peritumoral tissue of hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Search MEDLINE, PUBMED databases, identify related articles and analyze related data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence indicated that tumor-associated macrophages play an important role in disease progression, recurrence and survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. However, recent study showed that Yondelis (ecteinascidin-743) can suppress tumor growth through attacking tumor cells, macrophages and tumor-associated macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Owing to the importance of tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages in inflammatory microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma, treating hepatocellular carcinoma by Yondelis seems to be a promising therapeutic strategy but requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Study of Liver Cancer and Department of Hepatic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No. 17, Lu-Jiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China. doctorzch2008@163.com
authors.forename: Chuan-Hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ge-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Yong-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077606:Trabectedin
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D004149:Dioxoles; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines; D000077606:Trabectedin