Abstract
Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the predominant primary liver tumor in children. While the
prognosis is favorable when the tumor can be resected, the outcome is dismal for patients
with progressed HB. Therefore, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms
responsible for HB is imperative for early detection and effective treatment. Sequencing
analysis of human HB specimens unraveled the pivotal role of Wnt/β-catenin pathway
activation in this disease. Nonetheless, β-catenin activation alone does not suffice
to induce HB, implying the need for additional alterations. Perturbations of several
pathways, including Hippo, Hedgehog, NRF2/KEAP1, HGF/c-Met, NK-1R/SP, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR
cascades and aberrant activation of c-MYC, n-MYC, and EZH2 proto-oncogenes, have been
identified in HB, although their role requires additional investigation. Here, we
summarize the current knowledge on HB molecular pathogenesis, the relevance of the
preclinical findings for the human disease, and the innovative therapeutic strategies
that could be beneficial for the treatment of HB patients.
Keywords
hepatoblastoma - Wnt/β-catenin - Hippo - NRF2