Proangiogenic factors in the development of HCC in alcoholic cirrhosis.

Alcoholic liver disease, the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, is associated with an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma. Angiogenic factors have been implicated in pathophysiology of cirrhosis, and of hepatocellular carcinoma, and in particular of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, due to alcohol induced hypoxia associated with increased hepatic oxygen consumption. In one study, it was found that among genetic polymorphisms in proangiogenic factors, KDR and VEFGA may confer an increased risk of HCC, in patients with ALD. There is need of further studies of the proangiogenic factors in HCC, in order to help us define their use as prognostic markers and also as markers of response to treatment.