Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading cause of death globally. Recent research indicates that the disturbed gut microbiota plays a major role in the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, addition of probiotics as diet or as an adjuvant therapy may interfere with the oncogenic pathways and reduce the occurrence of HCC. This article overviews the relation between HCC and probiotics.
Pathophysiology Of HCC The liver has a double blood supply from the hepatic artery and portal vein. The portal vein delivers gut-derived products such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), bacterial DNA and peptidoglycan to the liver. Also because of its anatomical location, the liver is exposed to gut-derived bacterial components. The normal gut barrier is made up of following parts: The normal composition and distribution of intestinal flora The intestinal mucosal barrier…
