title: Molecular targeted therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: In vivo tumor progression requires the supply of oxygen and nutrition by neovasculature. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the typical tumors with neovascularization, and the dramatic alteration in the arterial vascularity may lead to acquisition of the potential for vascular invasiveness and metastasis. In 2008, phase III clinical trials revealed anti-angiogenic agent "sorafenib" as the first drug that demonstrated an improved overall survival in patients with advanced HCC. A new era of HCC treatment had arrived, but there has been limited further improvement in survival benefits. This review summarizes molecular targeted therapy with a focus on angiogenesis, growth signals, and mitotic abnormalities, as well as the promising concepts of "cancer stemness" and "synthetic lethality" for the strategy of targeted therapy.
authors: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan. shinji.msrg@tmd.ac.jp
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Tanaka
authors: Shigeki
authors: S
authors: Arii
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors