Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive and widespread cancer. Patients with liver cirrhosis of different aetiologies are at a risk to develop HCC. It is important to know that in approximately 20% of cases primary liver tumors arise in a non-cirrhotic liver. Lipid metabolism is variable in patients with chronic liver diseases, and lipid metabolites involved therein do play a role in the development of HCC. Of note, lipid composition of carcinogenic tissues differs from non-affected liver tissues. High cholesterol and low ceramide levels in the tumors protect the cells from oxidative stress and apoptosis, and do also promote cell proliferation. So far, detailed characterization of the mechanisms by which lipids enable the development of HCC has received little attention. Evaluation of the complex roles of lipids in HCC is needed to better understand the pathophysiology of HCC, the later being of paramount importance for the development of urgently needed therapeutic interventions. Disturbed hepatic lipid homeostasis has systemic consequences and lipid species may emerge as promising biomarkers for early diagnosis of HCC. The challenge is to distinguish lipids specifically related to HCC from changes simply related to the underlying liver disease. This review article discusses aberrant lipid metabolism in patients with HCC.

中文翻译：

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脂质在肝细胞癌的病理生理，诊断和治疗中的作用。

肝细胞癌（HCC）是一种侵袭性且广泛分布的癌症。病因不同的肝硬化患者有发展成肝癌的危险。重要的是要知道在大约20％的病例中，原发性肝肿瘤发生在非肝硬化的肝中。脂质代谢在患有慢性肝病的患者中是可变的，并且参与其中的脂质代谢产物确实在肝癌的发展中起作用。值得注意的是，致癌组织的脂质组成与未受影响的肝组织不同。肿瘤中的高胆固醇和低神经酰胺水平可保护细胞免受氧化应激和细胞凋亡的影响，并确实促进细胞增殖。迄今为止，关于脂质使肝癌发生的机理的详细表征一直很少受到关注。需要评估脂质在肝癌中的复杂作用，以更好地了解肝癌的病理生理学，后者对于制定急需的治疗性干预措施至关重要。肝脂质稳态紊乱具有全身性后果，脂质种类可能会成为早期诊断HCC的有前途的生物标志物。挑战在于将与HCC特别相关的脂质与仅与潜在肝病相关的变化区分开。这篇文章讨论了肝癌患者脂质代谢异常。面临的挑战是将与HCC特别相关的脂质与仅与潜在肝病相关的变化区分开。这篇文章讨论了肝癌患者脂质代谢异常。面临的挑战是将与HCC特别相关的脂质与仅与潜在肝病相关的变化区分开。这篇文章讨论了肝癌患者脂质代谢异常。