India, June 6 -- Liver cancer is a lethal disease with limited treatment options for advanced stages. While risk factors such as viral hepatitis, alcohol use, and obesity increase the likelihood of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, the progression of liver cancer), scientists are racing to uncover the hidden biological mechanisms that fuel tumour growth. Recent research led by Professor Jiangwen ZHANG of the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has uncovered how a key genetic culprit, VPS72, drives the development of liver cancer by disrupting fat metabolism and manipulating gene activity. The team's findings have been published in Advanced Science.

The Fat-Liver Cancer Connection

The liver is the body's metab...