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Review

Role of natural antioxidants in the therapeutic management

of hepatocellular carcinoma

1
1
Hanaa A. Hassan , Nermin E. El-Gharib , Anmar F. Azhari 2
1 Physiology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
2 Ministry of Health, Makkah Region, Makkah 21514, Saudi Arabia.

ABSTRACT
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a growing health problem in humans. HCC is considered the most common of internal
malignancy which cause the death of human, but in the developed Western world, HCC is less common accompanied
by increasing essentially in incidence, due to it occurs specially in chronic liver disease. HCC associated with various risk
factors including hepatitis B virus infection; hepatitis C virus infection; prolonged aflatoxin exposure; and alcoholic cirrhosis.
Overall, one-third of cirrhosis patients will develop HCC during their life time. Also, chemical carcinogens cause tumor
promotions through free radical metabolites result in many biochemical and molecular changes that induces oxidative
stress. The identify of HCC stage and underlying liver status then choosing the most appropriate line of therapy (surgical,
loco regional, radiological and medical) can be improve the survival and/or the quality of life of the patient. Taken into
the account of the nutritional value of some natural antioxidant agents that support the function of the body resulting an
improvement of the health and protection from different diseases, our review will provide an up-dated status of the different
aspects of HCC management through covering the efficacy and the beneficial effects of different natural agents and their
mechanism of action against HCC for the future therapy modalities.
Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma; risk factors; natural antioxidants

Corresponding Author:
Prof. Hanaa A. Hassan, Physiology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
E-mail: drhanaahassan@mans.edu.eg
Received: 30-04-2016, Accepted: 04-07-2016

INTRODUCTION for HCC, especially cirrhosis which caused by hepatitis virus
infections. Therefore, increasing HCC risks occur in the
[4]
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence is the most acquired HBV during the childbirth and early childhood.
[5]
common tumor in worldwide. HCC involves major The patients with HCC present with one or more of several
[1]
changes in multiple molecular pathways, genetic and clinical features as weight loss, right upper. HCC causes
epigenetic factors, which consequently leads to the acute disaster of abdominal by bleeding intra-abdominal
malignant transformation and HCC progression. Chronic or extra hepatic appearance. Also, patients have HCC
[2]
[6]
liver disease and cirrhosis of patients cause HCC. HCC has with cirrhosis cause palmarerythema, obstractive jaundice,
major risk factors for developing cirrhosis such as, alcoholic gynecomastia and portal hypertension. HCC is associated
[7,8]
consumbtion, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus with hypoglycemia, erythrocytosis, hypercalcemia,
(HCV) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Additionally, hypercholesterolemia and diarrhea. [9]
[2]
the contamination of water by chemicals, diabetes,
obesity and genetic factors including hemochromatosis, ETIOLOGY OF HCC
and some physiological disorders act as risk factors for
developing HCC. Cirrhosis is the most dangerous factors
[3]
The distributions of HCC are largely result from various
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DOI: How to cite this article: Hassan HA, El-Gharib NE, Azhari AF.
10.20517/2394-5079.2016.12 Role of natural antioxidants in the therapeutic management of
hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatoma Res 2016;2:216-23.
216 © 2016 Hepatoma Research | Published by OAE Publishing Inc.