Worldwide, liver cancer is the third cause of death caused by cancer, falling in behind lung (1.4 million deaths) and stomach cancer (740,000 deaths) at around 700,000 deaths. For the first time, researchers have discovered a special type of molecular regulator called a micro-RNA (miR-124) that could be used someday as a treatment for liver cancer. The same team also found a mechanism in mice that ultimately causes normal liver cells to transform into cancerous ones. In this new study, mice were exposed to a cancer-causing chemical called DEN, which triggered a circuit of inflammation in the liver that ultimately led to cancer. The investigators identified one element of the circuit called miR-124. Molecules in this class have been associated with different types of cancer. Another key player in the circuit is HNF4α, a substance that has an important role in the formation of liver cells and their function. If HNF4α is suppressed, the result can be inflammation, which can then lead to cancer.
Scientists hope that “miR-124 potentially could be sued as a preventive in patients at high risk of liver cancer because they have chronic hepatitis C or as a therapeutic agent in patients with liver cancer.” They plan to begin a phase I clinical trial to explore this possible new liver cancer treatment in 2012.
