Why Is Liver Cancer Progressing Faster in People with Obesity?
- Seoyoung Kang
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
Mar 7, 2026
Seoyoung kang
Liver cancer is a malignant tumor* that develops in liver cells. It often has no symptoms in its early stages, and by the time signs such as pain in the upper right abdomen, a lump, or fatigue appear, the disease is often already advanced. Recently, Korean researchers discovered why liver cancer associated with obesity or metabolic problems progresses more quickly and doesn’t respond to cancer drugs.
Researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) found that a substance called endotrophin, which increases during liver fibrosis(liver hardens), combines a protein called CD44 on cancer cells. This activates a signaling pathway known as STAT3, causing cancer cells to grow faster and spread wildly to other tissues.
By animal experiments, blocking endotrophin and CD44 reduced tumor growth. It also improved the effectiveness of the cancer drug sorafenib**, suggesting a possible new approach for treating liver cancer.
Professor Park Jiyoung said, "This study has revealed that the combination of endotrophin and the CD44 receptor is a key link that determines the malignancy of obesity-related liver cancer." She added, "If we develop a drug that disturbs this combination, it will be a new treatment that could weaken the powerful liver cancer and overcome anticancer drug resistance."
