Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies in numerous countries. The incidence of HCC is rapidly increasing andp ] proximately results in 350,000 deaths each year worldwide (1 –4 ). The conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatment for HCC have been disappointing, with an overall 5-yr survival rate of less than 5%. Although the surgical excision is considered the most effective therapy for early-stage HCC patients, only a very small proportion of patients with an operable primary lesion may transiently benefit from surgical treatment because of a high recurrence rate of cancer after operation. Other therapeutic approaches, such as local alcohol injection, hepatic arterial immobilization, and other alternative therapies, have little impact on this malignancy. These results highlight the urgent need for new therapies for HCC treatment.
