Advances in Liver Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Innovations

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 489

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Portuguese Oncology Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, liver metastases, tumor microenvironment, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, biomarkers, drug resistance

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Guest Editor
1. Surgery Department, Unidade Local de Saude de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
2. Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
3. ACIMAGO, Coimbra, Portugal
4. Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: animal models of disease; liver transplant pathology; colorectal cancer; liver metastases; GI cancer; surgery
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liver cancer is among the highest hurdles in oncology. It includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma, and metastasis in the liver. Even though enormous progress has been made in their diagnosis and treatment, these cancers remain great challenges since their biology is complex, they are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, and they do not respond to the standard therapies. The TME is a critical component in the evolution of liver cancers and metastases, dictating the fate of cancer cells by regulating survival, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance.

This special issue aspires to encompass the general outlook on recent updates of research in liver oncology, whether primary liver cancers or liver metastases. We would like to bring out the molecular mechanisms behind such diseases and present novel therapeutic strategies that may be devised to interfere with these processes.

We welcome the submission of peer-reviewed original research, reviews, and communications dedicated to the following topics of basic science and translational research in liver oncology, but not limited to:

  • Molecular signaling involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and its potential therapeutic implications;
  • The role of the tumor microenvironment in progression to liver cancer and treatment response;
  • Molecular cross-talk between liver stromal cells and metastatic cancer cells;
  • The contribution of immune-microenvironment to liver metastatic progression and therapy resistance;
  • Genetic and epigenetic alterations in liver cancer and their implications for targeted therapy;
  • Effects of extracellular matrix remodeling on the initiation and progression of liver metastasis;
  • Recent advances in immunotherapy and their applicability for both primary liver cancers and liver metastases;
  • The rationales and experimental strategies for biomarker discovery in liver cancers and metastases in early detection, prognostics, and therapeutic response;
  • Recent advances in molecular liver oncology with respect to new drug delivery systems and combination therapies.
  • Innovative treatment centered on the heterogeneous cells of the TME in liver metastases: immunotherapy strategies and approaches to stroma derivatives and the TME matrix.

Prof. Dr. Rui Caetano Oliveira
Dr. Rui Miguel Martins
Prof. Dr. José Guilherme Tralhão
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • liver cancer
  • hepatocellular carcinoma
  • cholangiocarcinoma
  • liver metastases
  • tumor microenvironment
  • targeted therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • biomarkers
  • drug resistance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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11 pages, 596 KiB  
Systematic Review
Novel Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma from Embryogenic Antigens to cfDNA
by Robeer Ghantus, Răzvan Alexandru Ciocan, Diana Schlanger, Călin Popa, Claudia Diana Gherman, Călin Vaida, Bogdan Gherman, Doina Pîslă, Nadim Al Hajjar and Andra Ciocan
Biomedicines 2025, 13(5), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051020 - 23 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary liver cancer, continues to pose a significant challenge to the healthcare system because of its elevated incidence and fatality rates. This study aims to assess new biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis, comparing them to the established [...] Read more.
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a primary liver cancer, continues to pose a significant challenge to the healthcare system because of its elevated incidence and fatality rates. This study aims to assess new biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis, comparing them to the established gold standard alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and liver ultrasonography. Methods: A literature review was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A total of 670 papers were identified using internet databases. After applying the exclusion criteria, eight studies were included in this literature review. Results: It was identified that certain analyzed biomarkers, or the combinations thereof, exhibited superior sensitivity compared to the existing gold standard. The circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs), proved to have encouraging outcomes, particularly for the early identification of HCC. Additional indicators, such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the alkaline phosphatase plus gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to lymphocyte ratio (AGLR), may forecast disease progression, particularly regarding vascular invasion. Conclusions: These biomarkers may assist clinicians in making better therapeutical choices in order to provide personalized treatment and optimal follow-up for HCC patients. Full article
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