Dexmedetomidine promotes the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through hepatic stellate cell activation

Abstract

Liver cancer: Common anesthetic can accelerate tumor progression Researchers warn against using the anesthetic dexmedetomidine (DEX) in liver cancer patients after indications that it promotes tumor growth. Concerns have been raised that certain anesthetics, including DEX, can accelerate the progression of cancerous tumors, but the precise effects of DEX on liver cancer tumors are unclear. Most liver cancers develop in patients who already have fibrosis, a build-up of scarred tissue in the liver. This tissue accumulation stems from the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during liver damage. Using human cancer cell lines and mouse models, Aimin Li and Xue Ning at the Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China and co-workers demonstrated that DEX interacts with HSCs via a receptor protein on their cell surface, further enhancing activation levels. Activated HSCs in turn secrete factors that accelerate tumor growth and invasion.