DKK1 as a serum biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitis infection (hepatitis B or C) or cirrhosis secondary to chronic alcoholism (1). Etiological factors for HCC vary widely depending on geographic location. In regions where Hepatitis B (HBV) is endemic, such as the eastern hemisphere, this is uniformly the most common cause (2). It is estimated that chronic HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections account for an estimated 78% of global HCC cases (3).