Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Dec 15, 2024; 16(12): 4543-4547
Published online Dec 15, 2024. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i12.4543
Gene targets with therapeutic potential in hepatocellular carcinoma
Syifaus Shodry, Yuliono Trika Nur Hasan, Iwal Reza Ahdi, Zulvikar Syambani Ulhaq
Syifaus Shodry, Yuliono Trika Nur Hasan, Iwal Reza Ahdi, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Maulana Ibrahim Islamic State University of Malang, Malang 65144, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
Zulvikar Syambani Ulhaq, Research Center for Preclinical and Clinical Medicine, National Research and Innovation Agency Republic of Indonesia, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
Author contributions: Shodry S wrote the original manuscript; Hasan YTN and Ahdi IR supervised the project; Ulhaq ZS conceived the study, wrote the original draft and revised the manuscript, and supervised the study; Ulhaq ZS was the main contributor to this manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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: Zulvikar Syambani Ulhaq, MD, PhD, Research Scientist, Research Center for Preclinical and Clinical Medicine, National Research and Innovation Agency Republic of Indonesia, Cibinong Science Center, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Cibinong 16911, Indonesia. zulvikar.syambani.ulhaq@brin.go.id
Received: June 27, 2024
Revised: August 3, 2024
Accepted: August 13, 2024
Published online: December 15, 2024
Processing time: 138 Days and 8.4 Hours
Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Major treatments include liver transplantation, resection, and chemotherapy, but the 5-year recurrence rate remains high. Late diagnosis often prevents surgical intervention, contributing to poor patient survival rates. Carcinogenesis in HCC involves genetic alterations that drive the transformation of normal cells into malignant ones. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a key regulator of cell cycle progression, is frequently upregulated in HCC and is associated with advanced stages and poor prognosis, making it a potential biomarker. Additionally, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, which binds to EZH2, affects disease staging and outcomes. Targeting EZH2 presents a promising therapeutic strategy. On the other hand, abnormal lipid metabolism is a hallmark of HCC and impacts prognosis. Fatty acid binding protein 5 is highly expressed in HCC tissues and correlates with key oncogenes, suggesting its potential as a biomarker. Other genes such as guanine monophosphate synthase, cell division cycle associated 5, and epidermal growth factor receptor provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of HCC, offering potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Enhancer of zeste homolog 2; Target genes; Biomarkers; Potential therapeutic

Core Tip: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths due to late diagnosis and high recurrence rates. Key biomarkers such as enhancer of zeste homolog 2 and fatty acid binding protein 5, along with other genetic biomarkers provide insights into HCC progression and potential therapeutic targets.