title: New possibilities in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and treatment has witnessed many major changes and challenges in the past two decades. Increasing incidence of HCC has introduced new monitoring systems and increased the efficacy of screening tests, as well as prognosis of the disease, including the staging system, serological testing and diagnostic imaging. Moreover, surgical resection, liver transplantation and herbal therapy have improved treatment. The most encouraging specific serological marker for HCC is alpha fetoprotein (AFP), which, along with ultrasonography, has improved earlier detection of HCC. Most recently, circulating tumor cell measurement has emerged as a promising tool for the prognosis of HCC. Herbal drugs and herbal composite formula drugs are promising towards the prevention of invasion and proliferation of tumor cells. Chemotherapeutic agents, such as sorafenib, bevacizumab and erlotinib, which target growth factor receptors in signaling pathways, are also used as HCC treatments. Furthermore, radiotherapy is employed in the treatment of unresectable tumors. The present report provides an analysis of the above parameters in the management of HCC.
authors.affiliation: King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. Box 80216, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia. E-mail: iasheikh@kau.edu.sa, sheikhishfaq@gmail.com and Mohammad Amjad Kamal, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. Box 80216, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia. meu.fabg@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasool
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: Mahwish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arooj
authors.forename: Shakeel Ahmed
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Khalid Mahmud
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: Muhammad Imran
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Naseer
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zahid
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manan
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.forename: Zarish
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Razzaq
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Mahmood Husain
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Qazi
authors.forename: Zafar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Siew Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Mohammad Amjad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: Ishfaq Ahmed
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; alpha fetoprotein; chemo and radiotherapy for HCC; herbal drugs; review; surgical resection