The prominence of potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma: Current scenario and future anticipation

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive and truculent types of cancer. Early detection of HCC is a massive concern that can boost the overall survival rates of HCC patients. As a result, there is a continual quest for advancements in screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to enhance the prognosis at its early stages. However, the confluence of inflammation and cirrhosis hampers the early detection of HCC. The analysis of different types of biomarkers such as tissue biomarkers, serum biomarkers, protein biomarkers, autoantibody markers, and improved imaging techniques has played a vital role in ameliorating HCC monitoring responses. Therefore biomarkers that can identify HCC early with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity might be prodigiously serviceable in the diagnosis and treatment of this notorious disorder. This study offers an overview of the contemporary understanding of several types of biomarkers implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis and their applications in monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis presage. In additament, we address the role of image techniques associated with HCC diagnosis.

Syphilitic heart - a case report

Heart and its great vessels are involved in tertiary syphilis in the form of syphilitic aortitis often 20 years or more after primary infection is contracted. In a 60 year old male cadaver, we found an enlarged heart with aneurysm of ascending aorta and semilunar septa was found protruding in to the lumen of arch of aorta distal to the origin of left subclavian artery. Right pulmonary vessels were dilated. Right and left atrial cavity were dilated, left ventricular hypertrophy with dilatation was noted. Hispathological findings of the specimens were suggestive of syphilitic aortitis. Cardiovascular syphilis though uncommon is still a significant cause of mortality and morbidity, which can be reduced by adequate screening, accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.