Liver cancer, also known as liver cancer and primary liver cancer, is cancer starting from the liver. Primary liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and the second leading cause of death from cancer. The most common types are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for 80%, and cholangiocarcinoma. The main cause of liver cancer is cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, hepatitis C or alcohol. Other causes include aflatoxins, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and liver flukes. The diagnosis can be supported by blood tests and medical imaging and confirmed by histological biopsy. Creative Biolabs provides a number of IVD antibodies development services for liver cancer diagnosis.
Preventive measures include the immunization of hepatitis B and the treatment of people infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Screening is recommended for patients with chronic liver disease. Treatment options may include targeted therapies, radiotherapy and surgery. In some cases, ablation therapy, embolization or liver transplantation may be used.
Fig.1 Treatment strategies for liver cancer at different stages.1
Cause
Viral Infections - Viral infections with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or Hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the major causes of liver cancer around the world, accounting for 80% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A large number of inflammatory liver fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis occur, which leading to HCC. During HBV and HCV infection, the virus induces malignant changes in cells by altering gene methylation, affecting gene expression, promoting or inhibiting cell signaling pathways. By doing so, the virus can prevent cells from undergoing programmed cell death and promote viral replication and persistence. HBV and HCV also induce malignant changes by causing DNA damage and genomic instability. About 5-10% of individuals infected with HBV become chronic carriers, and about 30% acquire chronic liver disease that can lead to HCC.
Cirrhosis - Alcohol intake is associated with the increased risk of developing HCC. Alcohol-induced cirrhosis patients have a higher risk. Some diseases also cause cirrhosis and cancer, including hereditary hemochromatosis and primary biliary cirrhosis.
Other factors - Aflatoxin exposure, obesity, diabetes, smoking and liver fluke infection.
Symptoms
Since liver cancer is a generic term for many types of cancer, the signs and symptoms depend on what type of cancer is present. Symptoms of liver cancer may include:
Types & Conditions
The most common form of liver cancer, accounting for about 75% of all primary liver cancers, is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cancer formed by liver cells, known as hepatocytes, and become malignant. Liver cancer can also form from other structures in the liver, such as bile ducts, blood vessels, and immune cells. Some other liver cancers are cancers that have spread to the liver from elsewhere in the body. Since the liver is close to many metabolically active blood-rich organs near blood vessels and lymph nodes, the site of origin is usually the gastrointestinal tract.
The discovery of disease-specific biomarkers and the generation of high-quality antibodies are of great importance for the development of IVD immunoassays and kits. To assist customers in their IVD project development, Creative Biolabs offers a suite of IVD antibody development services against potential diagnostic biomarkers for liver cancer. We also offer IVD antibodies development services for many other diseases. If you are interested in our service, please feel free to contact us for more information and a detailed quote.
Our services target the following biomarkers for liver cancer diagnosis:
Reference
For Research Use Only.
