Advances on the role of stem cells in liver cancer

Liver cancer, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its high mortality rate and treatment difficulty have always been major challenges faced by the medical community. With the continuous development of biotechnology, stem cell research has shown great potential and hope in liver cancer treatment. This review provides a brief overview of the importance of stem cells in liver cancer research, including identification of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), molecular maintenance mechanisms of stemness in LCSCs, targeted therapy strategies, as well as the potential and challenges of stem cell therapy, proposing future research directions.