Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41002582›Full record

ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2025

Somatostatin Receptor 2 Overexpression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Implications for Cancer Biology and Therapeutic Applications.

Servando Hernandez Vargas, Solmaz Aghaamiri, Jack T Adams, Tyler M Bateman, Belkacem Acidi, Sukhen C Ghosh, Vahid Khalaj, Ahmed O Kaseb, Hop S Tran Cao, Majid Momeny and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Servando Hernandez VargasThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1614-7966
Solmaz AghaamiriThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8472-3905
Jack T AdamsThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Tyler M BatemanThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-6587-0330
Belkacem AcidiDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9436-5817
Sukhen C GhoshThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Vahid KhalajThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1621-6394
Ahmed O KasebDepartment of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9491-0587
Hop S Tran CaoDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8612-8272
Majid MomenyThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Ali AzhdariniaThe Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8000-907X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

(1) Background: Somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2), a G protein-coupled receptor, is overexpressed in multiple malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While SSTR2 has traditionally been viewed as an inhibitory receptor involved in suppressing hormone secretion and cell proliferation, emerging evidence suggests a more complex role in cancer biology. However, the functional implications of SSTR2 expression in HCC remain poorly understood. This study aimed to systematically investigate the molecular landscape associated with SSTR2 expression in HCC and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target. (2) Methods: SSTR2 expression patterns across 22 tumor types were assessed using TNMplot, and its expression in HCC was further validated through The Human Protein Atlas. Integrative analysis of transcriptomic profiles, protein expression data, and somatic copy number alterations was performed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to stratify HCC patients by SSTR2 expression levels. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted via SRplot to uncover biological processes and signaling pathways associated with SSTR2. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed using GEO datasets to determine the prognostic significance of SSTR2 expression. (3) Results: SSTR2 is moderately expressed in the majority of HCC tumors. Elevated SSTR2 expression correlates with significantly poorer overall and disease-specific survival. High SSTR2 levels are associated with activation of oncogenic signaling cascades related to cell proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and metastasis. Additionally, SSTR2 expression is positively correlated with several receptor tyrosine kinases and oncogenes implicated in HCC progression. (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that SSTR2 is not merely a passive biomarker but may contribute to HCC pathogenesis through modulation of oncogenic pathways. These data support the rationale for further development of SSTR2-directed therapeutic strategies to inhibit tumor growth and invasion in HCC patients.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsReceptors, SomatostatinGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansPrognosisReceptors, Somatostatinsomatostatin receptor 2SSTR2 protein, humanhepatocellular carcinomaoverall survivalSSTR2tumorigenesis

Identifiers

PMID41002582
PMCPMC12468542

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.