Prognostic significance and molecular implication of microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma following curative surgical resection

Abstract

Although various advanced therapeutic strategies exist for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it continues to rank among the primary drivers of cancer-related fatalities worldwide. Resection surgery offers a cure for HCC, but a high recurrence rate severely limits patient survival. Identifying robust, independent prognostic biomarkers of adverse clinical outcomes is therefore pivotal for enabling early therapeutic intervention, refining risk stratification, and ultimately enhancing patient survival rates. MicroRNAs (miRNAs)—which represent the most extensively and rigorously studied class of small non-coding RNAs—serve as key functional regulators in HCC oncogenesis and progression. The significantly aberrant expression profiles of multiple miRNAs in both patient tissue specimens and various liquid biopsy samples underscore their clinical utility as prognostic tools. Consequently, this review comprehensively outlines the current literature on tissue- and circulation-derived miRNAs, evaluating their molecular functions in HCC and their potential as independent prognostic biomarkers following curative surgical resection.