Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent human malignant cancer ranking the sixth common cancer-related mortality globally. Egypt is the third and fifteenth most populous country in Africa and around the world, respectively. In Egypt, HCC represents the fourth common cancer. The hepatocellular carcinoma patient population is diverse, with various underlying risk factors. Therefore, HCC pathogenesis is likely to be complex and multifactorial as no one molecular pathway or genetic mutation is implicated as a crucial step in HCC carcinogenesis.

Signaling Pathway:

Aberrant activation of several signaling pathways, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/the mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/mTOR) implicated in HCC pathogenicity. Moreover, wingless-related integration site (Wnt)/β-catenin, TRAIL and Notch pathways mutations play a vital role in proliferation and progression of liver tumorigenesis.

Induction of Hepatocellular carcinoma

Thioacetamide, an organosulfur, is widely implicated in liver cancer. Thioacetamide chronic administration was associated with advanced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and tumors in experimental animals in a dose-dependent manner. Thioacetamide at a dose of 200 mg/kg injected by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection two days per week for 16 consecutive weeks used for HCC induction.