Immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and their cross talks in hepatocellular carcinoma
Jun Liu1, Kevin Park2, Ziyang Shen1
1Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
Abstract:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging malignancy with limited treatment options beyond surgery and chemotherapy. Recent advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapy, including PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies, have shown promise, but their efficacy has not met expectations. Biomarker testing and personalized medicine based on genetic mutations and other biomarkers represent the future direction for HCC treatment. To address these challenges and opportunities, this comprehensive review discusses the progress made in targeted therapies and immunotherapies for HCC, focusing on dissecting the rationales, opportunities, and challenges for combining these modalities. The liver's unique physiology and the presence of fibrosis in many HCC patients pose additional challenges to drug delivery and efficacy. Ongoing efforts in biomarker development and combination therapy design, especially in the context of immunotherapies, hold promise for improving outcomes in advanced HCC. Through exploring the advancements in biomarkers and targeted therapies, this review provides insights into the challenges and opportunities in the field and proposes strategies for rational combination therapy design.
Insights
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment is advancing with targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Personalized medicine and combination strategies show promise for improving outcomes in advanced liver cancer.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology and Oncology
- Translational Cancer Research
Background:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents limited treatment options beyond surgery and chemotherapy.
- Current targeted therapies and immunotherapies, including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, show unmet efficacy.
- Biomarker-driven personalized medicine is the future direction for HCC management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review progress in targeted therapies and immunotherapies for HCC.
- To dissect rationales, opportunities, and challenges in combining these treatment modalities.
- To explore advancements in biomarkers and combination therapy design for advanced HCC.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of targeted therapies and immunotherapies in HCC.
- Analysis of biomarker development and personalized medicine approaches.
- Evaluation of combination therapy strategies and their challenges.
Main Results:
- Recent advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapies offer new avenues for HCC treatment.
- Biomarker testing is crucial for guiding personalized medicine in HCC.
- Combining therapies presents unique challenges due to liver physiology and fibrosis.
Conclusions:
- Personalized medicine and rational combination therapies are key to improving outcomes in advanced HCC.
- Further research into biomarker development and combination strategies is essential.
- Addressing challenges in drug delivery and efficacy is critical for future HCC treatments.
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