Recent Advances in Liver Cancer Stem Cells and Heptocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly malignant tumor lack of effective clinical treatments.The compelling evidence has suggested that cancer stem cells(CSCs)are responsible not only for tumor initiation but also for the generation of distant metastasis and recurrence.Recently,CSCs in liver have attracted extensive attention as a tumor-initiating cell demonstrated in liver cancer tissues and peripheral circulation of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.Moreover,liver CSCs properties such as self-renewal,unlimited proliferation and differentiation are highly relevant to cancer recurrence and the drug resistance,which are attributed to the poor effects of HCC treatment.Here is to make a review on the concept,characteristics of liver CSCs,and summarize the origin,regulation of self-renewal of CSCs in liver and the strategy of CSCs-targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.