Imaging Ligands Targeting Glypican-3 (GPC3) Receptor Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer mortality and increasing in incidence worldwide. Early detection HCC important since potentially curative therapies exist initial stages HCC; no for late-stage HCC. However, remains challenging due to lack symptoms during early stage disease. Other methods screening detecting HCC, including blood serum tests conventional imaging methods, remain inadequate genetic differences between patients high background activity liver tissues. Thus, there a need an accurate agent diagnosis, staging, prognosis Glypican-3 (GPC3) oncofetal receptor responsible regulating cell division, growth, survival. GPC3 clinically relevant biomarker therapeutics, as its expression tumor-specific absent from normal other pathological The development novel GPC3-targeting agents has encompassed three classes biomolecules: peptides, antibodies, aptamers. These biomolecules serve constructs diagnostic (demonstrating potential positron emission tomography [PET], single-photon [SPECT], optical agents) treatment delivery. At least 20 unique ligands have been identified literature showing specificity receptor. Although several are currently under clinical investigation translation lacking. This review highlights current landscape targeting describes their promising possibilities