Chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 influence proliferation and dissemination of human hepatocellular cancer

Background/aims: Despite many pathophysiological analyses, the process of tumor dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains vague. In diverse other tumor entities, expression of the chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 has been linked to tumor dissemination and poor prognosis. Therefore, we evaluated, if the expression of these chemokine receptors exerts similar effects in human HCC.