The Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common type of cancer and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Liver resection or liver transplantation is the most effective therapy for HCC, since there are few FDA approved drugs to treat unresectable HCC patients with an unfavorable overall survival rate (OSR), therefore, based on molecular biology of HCC, the development of biomarkers for early diagnosis and effective therapy strategies are still necessary to improve patient outcomes. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF19) was found to be amplified in HCC patients from various studies, including patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). FGF19 plays a syngeneic function with other signaling pathways in primary liver cancer development, such as EGFR, Wnt/beta-catenin, the ER related signaling pathway, STAT3/IL-6, RAS and ERK, among others. In the current review, a comprehensive description of the FGF19 signaling pathway involved in liver cancer development is discussed. Utilizing big data and bioinformatic analysis can provide useful clues on further studies of the FGF19 pathway in HCC, including its application as a biomarker, targeted therapy, and combination therapy strategies.