Circulating liver cancer stem cells and their stemness-associated MicroRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for viral hepatitis-induced liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are a subpopulation of tumor cells that can drive cancer initiation and relapses. Because of their significance, researchers are looking for biomarkers that characterize or regulate LCSCs so that they can be used as targets for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methodology: Six groups of patients having hepatitis C virus (HCV), HCV + cirrhosis, HCV + HCC, hepatitis B virus (HBV), HBV + cirrhosis, or HBV + HCC, in addition to a control group, were subjected to the measurement of LCSCs levels and analysis of miR-1290 and miR-1825 expression.