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ISSN 1001-5256 (Print)
ISSN 2097-3497 (Online)
CN 22-1108/R
Volume 42 Issue 7
Jul.  2026
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Article Contents

Research advances in butyrogenic microbes and butyrate in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

DOI: 10.12449/JCH260730
Research funding:

Project of Chengdu High-Tech Zone Medical Association (2024003)

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  • Corresponding author: Wang Haiqing, wanghaiqing241286@163.com (ORCID: 0000-0003-4621-4605)
  • Received Date: 2025-10-21
  • Accepted Date: 2026-01-29
  • Published Date: 2026-07-25
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a hepatic malignancy with a high mortality rate, and the development and progression of HCC is closely associated with gut microbiota and their metabolites. Butyrate is a kind of short-chain fatty acid produced by gut microbiota through metabolism, and it plays an important role in various aspects such as protecting intestinal barrier, regulating immune response, and exerting an antitumor effect. Notably, there is a reduction in the abundance of butyrogenic microbes and dysregulation of butyrate metabolism in patients with HCC, which provides new ideas for the treatment of HCC based on microbes and their metabolites. Current studies have preliminarily shown that butyrogenic microbes and butyrate exhibit both predictive and synergistic effects in the treatment of HCC and thus have broad prospects for clinical application. This article systematically elaborates on their characteristics in the progression of HCC, summarizes related research advances in their combination with systemic treatment strategies, and provides new insights for future research directions, in order to promote their clinical application.

     

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