Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Nov 27, 2024; 16(11): 3639-3642
Published online Nov 27, 2024. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v16.i11.3639
Unlocking the diagnostic potential of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-17: Advancing early detection strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma
Shanmathi Subramanian, Hamrish Kumar Rajakumar
Shanmathi Subramanian, Hamrish Kumar Rajakumar, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Omandurar Government Estate, Chennai 600002, Tamil Nādu, India
Author contributions: Subramanian S and Rajakumar HK contributed to conceptualization; Rajakumar HK wrote the original draft; Subramanian S contributed to review and editing; All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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: Hamrish Kumar Rajakumar, MBBS, Academic Editor, Academic Research, Junior Editor, Researcher, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Omandurar Government Estate, 169 Wallahjah Road, Police Quarters, Triplicane, Chennai 600002, Tamil Nādu, India. hamrishkumar2003@gmail.com
Received: September 7, 2024
Revised: September 24, 2024
Accepted: October 10, 2024
Published online: November 27, 2024
Processing time: 52 Days and 19.8 Hours
Abstract

Tian et al investigated the diagnostic value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). Their retrospective study, published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, revealed that the serum levels of VEGF and IL-17 are significantly elevated in PHC patients compared with healthy controls. These biomarkers are closely associated with pathological features such as tumor metastasis and clinical tumor node metastasis stage. A receiver operating characteristic analysis further confirmed the diagnostic efficacy thereof, suggesting that VEGF and IL-17 could serve as valuable tools for early detection and treatment guidance. This study underscores the potential of integrating these biomarkers into clinical practice to increase diagnostic accuracy and improve patient management in PHC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Biomarkers; Early detection; Diagnostic accuracy; Treatment strategies; Therapeutic targets

Core Tip: Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels show significant promise as diagnostic biomarkers for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), suggesting potential improvements in early detection and treatment strategies. Elevated levels of these biomarkers correlate with key pathological features and clinical stages of PHC, highlighting their diagnostic value. However, challenges such as cost and availability may limit their widespread use. Integrating VEGF and IL-17 into clinical practice could refine diagnostic accuracy and inform personalized treatment plans, potentially enhancing patient outcomes through more targeted and effective interventions.