Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
 71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Knowledge of the cellular changes that lead to hepatic neoplasia in humans is limited. Cirrhosis is a common antecedent or accompaniment of liver cell carcinoma and it seems that both its etiology and its time of duration are relevant risk factors. Many cellular changes have been observed in patients and among populations considered to be at risk. Of these, liver cell dysplasia is the most striking, and studies of its prevalence, natural history, and association with particular forms of cirrhosis suggest that it is a precancerous change. Bile duct carcinoma may follow infestation with liver flukes and duct epithelial hyperplasia is present before the development of cancer. Angiosarcoma from several causes is commonly preceded by a peculiar fibrosis, vascular changes, and Kupffer cell hyperplasia.
 ...
PMID:Precancerous changes in the human liver. 22

Our knowledge of the cellular changes that lead to liver cell carcinoma in humans is limited by proper and necessary ethical restriction on clinical research. We know rather more about risk factors, the most important of which is cirrhosis, it seems that both the causative agent and the time of duration of the cirrhotic process are relevent to the magnitude of this risk. According to present knowledge, alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, alcoholism, naturally occurring carcinogens, drugs, and the hepatitis B virus seem to carry the greatest risk of cancer developing in a cirrhotic patient. Cirrhosis, however, is not an essential prerequisite, and some or possibly all of these agents can also induce cancer without cirrhosis. Bile duct carcinoma commonly follows infestation with liver flukes. Cirrhosis is usually absent but duct epithelial hyperplasia is present prior to the development of cancer. Many cellular changes have been observed in patients and among populations considered to be at risk from liver cancer. Of these, liver cell dysplasia is the most striking and studies of its prevalence, natural history, and association with cirrhosis suggest that it is a precancerous change.
 ...
PMID:Precursor lesions for liver cancer in humans. 77 94

Until February 1984, 75 patients have undergone radiotherapy using the following two methods: 1. During surgery, electron 3000 rads were given. 2. For external irradiation, X-ray or fast neutron was given with a TDF (time dose and fractionation factor) of 80-110. Hepatocellular carcinoma: There were 14 patients including 6 preoperative irradiation and 8 unresectable cases. Improvements were obtained image diagnostically in 9 of 13 patients. Serum AFP level decreased in 6 of 8 patients. And the resected specimens revealed degeneration or necrosis of the cancer tissue. Radiotherapy can given beneficial effect to the patients with tumor emboli within the portal vein, or even disappearance of the tumor emboli sometimes could be seen. Bile duct carcinoma: There were 30 patients including 12 with intraoperative irradiation. 2 irradiated during surgery and external irradiation, and 16 with external irradiation. More than 1-year survivals observed in 6 of 18 unresectable cases. The longest survival of non-curative operation was 6.5 years with treatment. Pancreas carcinoma: There were 31 patients including 29 unresectable and 2 resectable cases. Prolongation of survival time in unresectable patients was not obtained with an interval of 5 months at 50% survival rate. But some clinical complaints were relieved. We concluded that radiotherapy is useful to improve surgical curability by decreasing the cancer cell viability, to give a wider surgical indication if portal tumor emboli can be eliminated, to prevent early tumor recurrence, and to give some beneficial effects to unresectable or recurrent patients.
 ...
PMID:[The role of radiotherapy in the management of cancer of digestive organs: the liver, bile tract and pancreas]. 650 63