Performance of different biomarkers for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the second cause of cancer related death due to latent liver disease, late diagnosis and non-available therapeutic treatment. Liver biopsy is still the gold standard in order to know the molecular biology of the tumor, its behaviour and invasive characteristics. Conventional diagnosis methods for HCC detection include imaging and serological tests with low sensitivity and specificity. In this review, we focus on the potential utility of certain serum biomarkers and a new approach, “liquid biopsy”, in the management of HCC patients