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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2022; 28(46): 6433-6477
Published online Dec 14, 2022. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6433
Recent progress in molecular mechanisms of postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma
Zhao-Shan Niu, Wen-Hong Wang, Xiao-Jun Niu
Zhao-Shan Niu, Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Wen-Hong Wang, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Xiao-Jun Niu, Department of Internal Medicine, Qingdao Shibei District People's Hospital, Qingdao 266033, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Niu ZS and Niu XJ wrote and revised this paper; Wang WH reviewed literature for the latest advances in the field.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Zhao-Shan Niu, MD, Associate Professor, Laboratory of Micromorphology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Room 1109, Medical Education Complex-Building B, No. 1 Ningde Road, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China. z.s.niu@qdu.edu.cn
Received: August 13, 2022
Peer-review started: August 13, 2022
First decision: October 20, 2022
Revised: October 31, 2022
Accepted: November 21, 2022
Article in press: November 21, 2022
Published online: December 14, 2022
Abstract

Hepatectomy is currently considered the most effective option for treating patients with early and intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC remains unsatisfactory, predominantly because of high postoperative metastasis and recurrence rates. Therefore, research on the molecular mechanisms of postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence will help develop effective intervention measures to prevent or delay HCC metastasis and recurrence and to improve the long-term survival of HCC patients. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence to lay a foundation for improving the understanding of HCC metastasis and recurrence and for developing more precise prevention and intervention strategies.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Recurrence, Metastasis, Mechanisms, Postoperation, Intervention

Core Tip: Surgical resection is currently a vital treatment option for patients with early and intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, the prognosis of HCC patients remains unsatisfactory due to high rates of postoperative metastasis and recurrence. Therefore, studies on the molecular mechanisms of postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence will help develop effective intervention measures to prevent or delay HCC metastasis and recurrence and to improve the long-term survival of HCC patients. Herein, we review the latest research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying postoperative HCC metastasis and recurrence to lay a foundation for improving the understanding of HCC metastasis and recurrence and for developing more precise prevention and intervention strategies.