PLASMA MOLECULAR PATTERN OF DIFFERENT STAGES OF HEPATITIS C VIRUS-RELATED HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA IN A COHORT OF EGYPTIAN PATIENTS

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth most common cancer worldwide. In Egypt, it represents the fourth common cancer. The paramount risk element for HCC to flourish is cirrhosis, Liver cirrhosis progresses to HCC in 80–90% of the cases. Chronic inflammation (hepatitis) leads to repetitive cell necrosis and subsequently regeneration by induction of cell proliferation. The inflammation-induced oxidative stress is an important cofactor since it facilitates DNA damage and genomic alterations. LncRNAs have emerged as new players in cancer research and several studies have shown that some lncRNAs function as oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes or both, depending on the circumstances. ZNFX1 antisense RNA 1 (ZFAS1), a novel lncRNA located on chromosome 20q13.13. The abnormal expression of ZFAS1 contributes to the occurrence and development of various cancers, including gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer. High ZFAS1 levels were positively associated with microvascular invasion and recurrence in HCC patients. Patients with upregulated ZFAS1 experienced poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Further study showed that amplified ZFAS1 could enhance HCC cell invasion and tumour metastasis in vitro and in vivo.