Immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
Immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination strategies, has transformed the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, providing improved outcomes especially for patients with unresectable disease.
As the third leading cause of cancer‑related mortality worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a substantial global health burden. Immunotherapy has transformed HCC management, encompassing immune checkpoint inhibitors, cytokine‑based therapies, adoptive cell therapies, and oncolytic viruses. Clinical research is increasingly focused on combination immunotherapy, which offers improved treatment prospects, particularly for patients with unresectable HCC. This review provides a concise overview of the HCC immune microenvironment, emphasizing the role of immune cells in HCC pathogenesis and progression. Additionally, it examines the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC immunotherapy, summarizes relevant clinical trials and their outcomes, discusses key therapeutic agents and combination strategies, and addresses current challenges and future directions in the field.
Given that hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer mortality, the emergence of immunotherapy—especially checkpoint blockade and combination regimens—offers a promising therapeutic avenue that can potentially prolong survival and improve quality of life for patients whose disease is refractory to conventional locoregional or systemic therapies.
Bizonyítékszint: Irányelv / elfogadott gyakorlat. Magas szintű klinikai elfogadottság.
Kapcsolódó jelek
- Quercetin suppresses the progression of HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating the EGFR signaling pathway
- Lenvatinib versus sorafenib in first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomised phase 3 non-inferiority trial
- Surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: expert consensus statement
- Loco-regional treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
- Real‑World Outcomes of Atezolizumab‑Bevacizumab in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: The Prospective French CHIEF Cohort