Type I insulin-like growth factor as a liver reserve assessment tool in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) encompass a wide range of illnesses, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and viral hepatitis. Deterioration of liver capacity, with subsequent progression into cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ultimately leads to a further decrease in the hepatic reserve. The Child–Turcotte–Pugh scoring system is the standard tool for assessing underlying liver reserve capacity in routine practice and in clinical trials of CLD and HCC. In this review, we highlight the clinical significance of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the growth hormone (GH) signaling pathway in HCC. IGF-I could be a marker for liver reserve capacity in CLDs and HCC in clinical practice. This approach could improve the risk assessment and stratifications of patients on the basis of their underlying liver reserve, either before active treatment in routine practice or before they are enrolled in clinical trials.

Keywords:

• IGF-I
• growth hormone
• chronic liver disease

Acknowledgments

The current study is supported, in part, by National Institutes of Health through grants CA170035-01 (to AOK), CA106458-01 (to MMH), and CA151533 (to HMA). The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health. RA is supported by a scholarship from the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.