Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), commonly known as primary liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, primarily attributed to changing lifestyles and dietary habits. HCC arises from liver cirrhosis, hepatic fibrosis, or hepatitis B virus infection, and is caused by disruptions in protein and lipid metabolism. These metabolic alterations, recognized as a hallmark of cancer, are pivotal in the progression of chronic liver disease to HCC. Due to its asymptomatic nature in early stages, HCC is often diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited. Despite being a potentially curative option, liver transplantation remains hindered by high costs and donor scarcity, further compounded by suboptimal long-term success rates. This review examines the critical metabolites that play a part in developing HCC, focusing on their roles as possible biomarkers for disease progression and therapeutic targets. Additionally, the influence of the gut microbiome on HCC development is discussed, highlighting its interplay with metabolic pathways. Understanding the roles of metabolites and the gut microbiome in HCC progression underscores the importance of their potential use in early detection and the development of targeted therapies, offering new avenues for improving patient outcomes.

Chondrosarcoma of the chest wall is a rare primary neoplasm found to occur in elderly men. Patients present with an enlarging, painful, anterior chest wall mass arising from either the vicinity of the costochondral junction or the sternum. Treatment includes wide resection with appropriate chest wall reconstruction. We report an unusual presentation of this uncommon tumor occurring as a huge chest wall mass in a young teenage girl.
Aged ; Chondrosarcoma* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ribs* ; Sternum ; Thoracic Wall*

Objective: To elucidate the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (TPC) of ethyl acetate extracts of endophytic fungi isolated from Eugenia jambolana by three different antioxidant assays. Methods: Twenty one different endophytic fungal extracts were screened for presence of various phytochemicals, TPC and in vitro antioxidant activity. TPC was tested by Folin-Ciocalteau reagent based assay. DPPH free radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging and reducing power assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Results: Alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, and terpenes were the main phytochemicals presents in all 21 endophytes. A significant positive correlation was found between antioxidant activity and TPC in fungal extracts. There is 36% endophytic extracts having high phenolic content exhibited potent antioxidant activity. Chaetomium sp., Aspergillus sp., Aspergillus peyronelii and Aspergillus niger strain showed the highest antioxidant activity ranging from 50% to 80% having 58 mg/g to 60 mg/g GAE total phenolics. Ascorbic acid used as a standard showed 90% reducing potential. Conclusions: The results reveal that metabolites produced by endophytic fungi isolated from Eugenia jambolana can be a potential source of novel natural antioxidant compounds.