Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Multiple treatment modalities are available for the management of HCC, depending on its stage as determined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system. Because liver transplantation (LT) theoretically removes the cancer and replaces the organ at risk for future malignancy, LT is often considered the most definitive and one of the most efficacious treatment options for HCC. Nevertheless, the success and efficacy of liver transplantation depend on various tumor characteristics. As a result, multiple criteria have been developed to assess the appropriateness of a case of HCC for LT, with the pioneering Milan Criteria established in 1996. Over the past 20 to 30 years, these criteria have been critically evaluated, expanded, and often liberalized to make LT for patients with HCC a more universally applicable option. Furthermore, the development of other treatment modalities has enabled downstaging and bridging strategies for HCC prior to LT. In this narrative and comprehensive review, we provided an update on recent trends in the epidemiology of HCC, selection criteria for LT, implementation of LT across different regions, treatment modalities available as bridges, downstaging strategies, alternatives to LT, and, finally, post-LT surveillance.

A study led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), in collaboration with the Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Barcelona (IRB Barcelona), has identified the most effective subtype of dendritic cell for generating immune memory in response to cancer

Gene sequencing studies have uncovered mutations in key oncogenes responsible for colorectal cancer (CRC) development. CRC tumors exhibit significant heterogeneity, and a subset of tumors harbor other key genetic and epigenetic alterations that drive carcinogenesis. Now, researchers from Japan have characterized gene mutations in CRC tumors with high tumor mutation burden that lack mutations in the major oncogenes. Their findings highlight alternate site-specific mechanisms of CRC development that can guide treatment selection.

A landmark study has revealed how inherited genetic variants, known as germline variants, play a critical role in the progression of cancer.

The research, conducted by a global consortium of scientists, including Kathleen J. Imbach and contributors from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), offers new insights into how these genetic factors influence molecular processes across a wide range of cancer types.

Babies and young children may breathe and absorb plasticizers called phthalates, flame retardants, and other harmful chemicals from their mattresses while they sleep, according to a pair of peer-reviewed studies led by the University of Toronto and published in Environmental Science & Technology and Environmental Science & Technology Letters. These chemicals are linked to neurological and reproductive problems, asthma, hormone disruption, and cancer.    

Genome Research publishes Part 2 of the Special Issue on Long-read DNA and RNA Sequencing Applications in Biology and Medicine, a diverse collection of research, methods, and review articles offering novel biological and clinical insights gained using long-read DNA and RNA sequencing technologies and other long molecule approaches. Articles in this issue provide advances in multiple areas, including genome assembly and annotation, rare disease diagnostics, structural variation, cancer genomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and single-cell sequencing.