Plexin C1 Marks Liver Cancer Cells with Epithelial Phenotype and Is Overexpressed in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer amongman and seventh among woman and ranked as the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths [1, 2]. Chronic liver injury, Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus infections, alcohol-associated diseases, and aflatoxin intoxications are the leading causes of HCC development. Several mutations affecting WNT/𝛽-Catenin, PI3K/RAS, and oxidative stress signaling pathways as well as hot spotmutations in TP53 were frequently observed in hepatocarcinogenesis [3]. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the most effective treatment option for patients with early diagnosis, albeit not suitable for advanced cases [4]. Despite the approval of two tyrosine kinase inhibitors, namely, sorafenib and regorafenib, for advanced cases, 5-year survival of HCC patients is only less than 20% [1]. …