Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer, posing a significant global health challenge with an increasing incidence. In recent years, multiple staging systems and scores have been proposed, emphasising the necessity for the development of precise prognostic tools. The well-documented etiological relationship between chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis has prompted researchers to explore novel prognostic markers associated with the inflammatory status of HCC patients. This review summarises the current data about inflammation-based scores in the context of HCC. We discuss established scores like the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified GPS (mGPS) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and others not as extensively studied, examining their utility in predicting survival outcomes and treatment response in HCC patients. Furthermore, we explore emerging scores, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and other lymphocyte-based scores, assessing their potential in refining risk stratification and guiding therapeutic decisions in the era of precision medicine. As research progresses and these scores undergo further refinement and integration into the evolving landscape of HCC management, they carry significant potential for improving patient outcomes.

Introduction: Obstructive jaundice is known to affect intestinal permeability and facilitate bacterial translocation through related mechanisms. This study was conducted to evaluate the alterations concerning blood biochemistry and levels of several markers of oxidative stress (OS) in blood and intestinal mucosa caused by obstructive jaundice and how these fluctuate over time, in order to further explore the possibility of intervening in the OS path in future experiments. Methods: A total of 54 albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (control, sham operated, and bile duct ligation) and sacrificed at specific time intervals (12 h and 2, 7, and 14 days). The intestinal barrier function was evaluated by measuring endotoxin levels in portal, aortic, and peripheral blood. Also, basic biochemical parameters were simultaneously measured in peripheral blood. Tissue samples collected from the terminal ileum were homogenized for determining the OS markers, lipid peroxidation, and protein-free radical-induced oxidation. Results: We designed this experiment to examine the alterations in enteric mucosa primarily in relation to OS in a period of 14 days. During this time period, we investigated in specific time intervals not only OS fluctuations but also other liver function parameters, as well as CRP and endotoxin levels. The alterations were monitored in relation to time after bile duct ligation. Conclusion: Bile duct ligation in rats causes OS versus post-ligation time progression of the common bile duct. OS was increased by ∼50% compared to control/sham and peaked at 7 days and at least up to 14 days post-ligation. This phenomenon was accompanied with a deranging of liver function after ligation, as anticipated, but not in all measured parameters; biochemical and endotoxin levels followed the same pattern.

Primary hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms that involve both melanocytic and smooth muscle differentiation. Primary hepatic PEComas remain a challenging condition for radiologists, pathologists, and surgeons. Our review provides an updated, clinically oriented synthesis of the available evidence on primary hepatic PEComas, integrating recent developments in diagnosis, imaging, histopathology, molecular biology, prognostic stratification, surgical and systemic treatment, and long-term surveillance. Although the majority of hepatic PEComas generally exhibit a slowly progressive clinical course, a small subgroup of them is characterized by aggressive biological behavior with an increased risk of recurrence, distant metastases, and disease-related mortality. As PEComas can resemble other hypervascular liver lesions such as hepatocellular carcinoma and hemangioma, preoperative diagnosis based on imaging techniques can be very difficult. Furthermore, the final diagnosis is usually made by histopathological examination of the surgical specimen, which reports characteristic expression of both smooth muscle markers and melanocytic markers such as HMB-45 and Melan-A. Although mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated antitumor activity in advanced PEComas, evidence specifically supporting their use in primary hepatic PEComas remains limited. Prognostic stratification, treatment selection, and long-term follow-up of primary hepatic PEComa remain major challenges. Further multicenter studies are needed to improve risk assessment and develop evidence-based guidelines for the management of these rare primary liver neoplasms.