Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Drug-Induced Senescence in Liver Cells Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Associated Hepatotoxicity
Published on: October 17, 2025
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat liver cancer
1National Cancer Centre of Singapore, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, 11 Hospital Drive, 169610, Singapore. cmrhth@nccs.com.sg
Importance Of The Field:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although patients with early-stage disease have a good prognosis, there has been no effective therapy available for those with advanced disease. Despite the death risk of patients with advanced HCC being reduced with sorafenib therapy, many patients eventually turn out to be refractory to this therapy. Thus, treatment of HCC remains an urgent health concern.
Areas Covered In This Review:
Recent improvement in understanding the pathophysiology of HCC at the molecular level has fostered the development of molecular targeted therapies that specifically block the disrupted pathways.
What The Reader Will Gain:
This review summarizes the preclinical and clinical data from 2004 to 2009 on the efficacy and safety of the emerging drug for the treatment of HCC, including small molecule inhibitors (erlotinib, sunitinib, sorafenib, vandetanib, cediranib, brivanib and dovitinib) and the rationale for combination therapies for patients with advanced HCC.
Take Home Message:
Understanding the mechanisms of action, safety and efficacy of these new agents and new methods of combining these drugs may help prolong overall survival of patients with HCC and reduce disease recurrence after surgery or ablative therapies.
Related Concept Videos
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
Tumor Immunotherapy

