ABSTRACT
Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often have poor prognosis, and early diagnosis and effective treatment measures can significantly improve the survival rate of patients. At present, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most widely used serum marker for the diagnosis of HCC in the world; however, no increase in AFP was found in some HCC patients. This article analyzes the application potential of AFP, hepatitis B core-related antigen, liquid biopsy technology, microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and exosomes in the early diagnosis of HCC and reviews related research advances, so as to provide a basis for exploring new methods for the early diagnosis of HCC.
ABSTRACT
The incurable chronic infection caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the major health burden worldwide. Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) exists in the nucleus of infected cells as a stable minichromosome, and when a new therapy realizes inactivation or eliminates persistent cccDNA in infected hepatocytes, the natural process of chronic infection and long-term antiviral therapy will no longer exist. This article introduces the methods targeting cccDNA, such as gene editing and epigenetic modification, so as to achieve the complete cure of HBV infection.