Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition: a Mediator of Sorafenib Resistance in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition: a Mediator of Sorafenib Resistance in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2017 Apr 26;: Authors: Mir N, Jayachandran A, Dhungel B, Shrestha R, Steel JC Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide and its incidence is steadily rising. Currently, sorafenib remains the only approved standard treatment for patients with advanced HCC, as it has proven to increase survival in these patients. However, clinical and preclinical observations indicate that sorafenib treatment may have limited efficacy due to tumor progression from the rapid development of acquired resistance. Elucidation of the underlying mechanisms of evasive resistance to sorafenib is a major challenge in HCC research. In recent years, the role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the advancement of HCC and development of drug resistance has gained increasing attention. EMT is a developmental multistep molecular and cellular reprogramming process that is hijacked by cancer cells to enable aggressiveness. In this review, we provide an overview of the currently available preclinical studies on the EMT mechanisms underlying resistance to sorafenib treatment. Recent studies report enrichment of cancer stem cells (CSCs) after sorafenib treatment. Interestingly, EMT process has been implicated in the generation of CSCs associated with therapy resistance. We discuss how...
Source: Current Cancer Drug Targets - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Curr Cancer Drug Targets Source Type: research