Deep whole-genome analysis of 494 hepatocellular carcinomas. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38355797/)

These scientists wanted to learn more about liver cancer, specifically a type called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is very common in China. They started a big project called the Chinese Liver Cancer Atlas (CLCA) and looked at the genetic information of 494 liver cancer tumors. They found some new genetic changes that might be causing the cancer to grow. They also discovered different patterns of mutations in the DNA of the cancer cells.

One interesting thing they found was that a virus called hepatitis B can insert its genetic material into the liver cells, which can make the cancer grow faster. They also found some unusual genetic changes that can happen in the late stages of liver cancer, which can cause big problems for the cells.

The scientists also studied a specific gene called fibrinogen alpha chain (FGA) and found that it plays a role in how the liver cancer spreads in the body. By understanding all of these genetic changes, the scientists hope to find new ways to treat liver cancer in Chinese patients.

Chen L., Zhang C., Xue R., Liu M., Bai J., Bao J., Wang Y., Jiang N., Li Z., Wang W., Wang R., Zheng B., Yang A., Hu J., Liu K., Shen S., Zhang Y., Bai M., Wang Y., Zhu Y., Yang S., Gao Q., Gu J., Gao D., Wang XW., Nakagawa H., Zhang N., Wu L., Rozen SG., Bai F., Wang H. Deep whole-genome analysis of 494 hepatocellular carcinomas. Nature. 2024 Feb 14. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07054-3.