The role of oxidative stress and fibrosis in HCV-associated HCC : HCV persistence and oncogenicity

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a sophisticated health challenge; it represents the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality, where HCC is more prevalent in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients. Hepatic carcinogenesis is a slowly progressive, poorly understood multistep process, and there is a close association between chronic hepatitis C infection, liver cirrhosis and the development of HCC. Alteration in hepatic microenvironment mediates the carcinogenesis and carries the clues for better treatment strategies. HCV can significantly disturb the cellular redox status, which provokes alteration in the liver microenvironment and activation of the hepatic stellate cell which is the key in liver fibrogenesis. This book, therefore, aimed to assess the oxidative status biomarkers, in addition to fibrotic markers including microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) and fibrotic indices in HCV-associated HCC, cirrhotic patients related to chronic hepatitis C infection and apparently healthy individuals in an attempt to understand some of the potential mechanisms of persistence and oncogenicity of HCV.