MicroRNA-7: a potent suppressor of the malignant potential of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide (1). Although its early diagnosis can lead to curative treatment by operation or radiofrequency ablation (2), sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, has long been used for patients with advanced tumors and is the only drug available for treating advanced HCC (3). However, the clinical benefit of sorafenib is limited and almost all patients become rapidly refractory to therapy. Recently, two other multikinase inhibitors, regorafenib and lenvatinib, have become available (4), but sorafenib is still widely used worldwide. Thus, the development of novel therapeutic options against HCC, particularly against sorafenib-resistant HCC, is urgently needed.