Early Liver Cancer Blood Biomarkers

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the third-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In Saudi Arabia and across the region, HCC cases are often diagnosed at advanced stages, when treatment options are limited, and survival rates are poor. This underscores the urgent need for reliable biomarkers that can enable early detection, guide prognosis, and support personalized treatment strategies.

Building our team’s expertise in systems biology, network medicine, and blood-based biomarker discovery, this project applies an integrated genomic and network-based approach to uncover early-stage HCC (eHCC) signatures. Using multiple large-scale, genome-wide gene expression datasets, we aim to identify robust gene signatures that can distinguish early HCC from healthy or non-cancerous liver conditions.

To ensure clinical relevance, these gene signatures will be validated in independent patient cohorts using both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and liver tissue samples. This dual validation strategy is designed to establish biomarkers that are both minimally invasive (blood-based) and biologically robust (tissue-based).

Beyond biomarker discovery, we will employ gene ontology enrichment, network, and pathway analyses to map the disrupted biological processes and cellular pathways underlying early HCC. These insights will help uncover not only diagnostic and prognostic markers, but also potential therapeutic targets.

This work lays the foundation for non-invasive, clinically actionable tests that can improve early diagnosis of HCC, predict disease outcomes, and guide precision oncology. By integrating genomics, network medicine, and translational validation, the project directly addresses global and regional challenges in liver cancer management and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s health research priorities. (RAC# 2180030).