Genomic landscape in Saudi patients with hepatocellular carcinoma using whole-genome sequencing: a pilot study

Our findings indicate that most of the HCC patients possess cancer-related genetic variants, and the altered pathways in these patients exhibit similarities. Notably, resistant patients exhibit a higher frequency of aberrations in sorafenib-related genes than do sensitive patients. Specifically, 4 out of 10 resistant individuals demonstrated 13 somatic mutations, whereas none of the three sensitive patients exhibited any. Similarly, 7 out of 10 resistant patients possessed 30 germline mutations, while none were observed in the sensitive group (two-sided Fisher's exact test; somatic: <i>p</i>=0.50, germline: 0.07). These results contribute to our understanding of the genetic landscape of HCC and highlight potential therapeutic targets that could aid in overcoming treatment resistance.