RT Journal Article ID 09e683d5181e4e03 A1 Cervello, Melchiorre A1 Emma, Maria Rita A1 Augello, Giuseppa A1 Balasus, Daniele A1 Azzolina, Antonina A1 McCubrey, James A. A1 Cusimano, Antonella T1 From Targets to Targeted Therapies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma JF Onco Therapeutics JO OT YR 2014 FD 2015-07-31 VO 5 IS 3-4 SP 145 OP 194 K1 HCC K1 targeted therapy K1 Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK K1 PI3K/AKT/PTEN/mTOR K1 signal transduction inhibitors AB Prognosis in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor, despite the great improvement in the knowledge of the mechanisms behind hepatocarcinogenesis in recent years. Therapeutic options in the advanced stage of disease were quite limited until the introduction of sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor. Sorafenib is considered the first systemic therapy and the only approved drug in advanced HCC. Unfortunately, sorafenib efficacy is rather limited in terms of overall survival, especially compared to results obtained with targeted therapies in other solid tumors; this limited efficacy is probably related to the heterogeneity of HCC. Consequently, a molecular characterization of HCC is urgently needed to improve treatments for and the clinical outcomes of HCC patients. This review offers a summary of the major studies regarding the signaling pathways involved in HCC pathogenesis, and an overview of the most promising drug treatments, apart from sorafenib, and the potential for their application in new therapeutic interventions in HCC. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/2c6306423483e001,5749d30276266f6f,09e683d5181e4e03.html