Gut Microbiota and Its Role in HCC Progression – New Insights

Abstract

The most prevalent primary liver cancer with a rising incidence worldwide is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies show that the gut-liver axis plays a critical role in the initiation and spread of HCC. The gut microbiota affects hepatic inflammation, immunological responses, and metabolic pathways through microbial metabolites such bile acids and short-chain fatty acids, endotoxins, and bacterial translocation. A major risk factor for HCC, cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two chronic liver disorders that have been associated with dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiota. Furthermore, bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) have the ability to activate Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which promotes the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. Modifying gut flora using probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and antibiotics may be therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of HCC, according to developments in microbiome research. Comprehending the intricate relationship between gut microbiota and liver cancer creates opportunities for precision medicine and therapies that target the microbiome in the development of hepatocarcinogenesis. Future research is required to evaluate medicines and biomarkers based on the microbiome to improve the outcomes of HCC.