Primary liver tumors: origin and target therapy.

BACKGROUND: The liver is the largest gland and chief metabolic organ of the human body possessing a unique ability to regenerate. The general interest of primary liver tumors is noteworthy because of their increasing worldwide incidence and mortality. Recent studies have focused on the ancestors of mature hepatocytes, which are capable of proliferating, differentiating and self-renewing.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a brief and up-to-date review on the cellular origin of primary liver tumors and to examine the use of stem cells in potential future therapeutic attempts.

METHODS: A review of relevant literature.

RESULTS: It is clear that hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) could be the basis of some hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), cholangiocarcinomas (CHC), hepatocellular adenomas and hepatoblastomas. Cancer stem cell (CSC) theory emphasizes the role of hepatic stem cells in the development and progression of liver tumors.

CONCLUSION: The expression of HPCs markers may be used as new independent prognostic factors in HCC. Conventional treatments for HCC do not seem to be beneficial for the majority of patients and new therapeutic approaches such as gene therapy and targeted drug therapy are of great clinical interest.