Combined Immunotherapy in Treating Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Karen Hoi Lam Li1, Roland Leung1, Bryan Cho Wing Li1,2
1Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Biomedicines
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment is improving with immunotherapy combinations. These novel approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), show better outcomes but increase toxicity and costs, highlighting the need for biomarkers.
Area of Science:
- Hepatobiliary cancers
- Immunology
- Oncology
Background:
- Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a significant clinical challenge with poor prognosis.
- Immunotherapy has become a cornerstone in treating advanced HCC, offering improved outcomes over traditional therapies.
- Single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show limited efficacy, necessitating combination strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in immunotherapy for advanced HCC.
- To discuss the rationale behind immunotherapy combinations targeting the tumor microenvironment.
- To explore novel therapeutic targets beyond current immune checkpoints.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent clinical trials and published literature on immunotherapy for advanced HCC.
- Analysis of the hepatic tumor microenvironment and immunotolerance.
- Evaluation of combination strategies including antiangiogenic agents and dual ICIs (PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4).
Main Results:
- ICI-based combination therapies demonstrate improved treatment outcomes in advanced HCC.
- Combination therapies, including antiangiogenic agents or dual ICIs, are reshaping the treatment landscape.
- Variable efficacy and increased toxicity/costs are associated with current immunotherapy combinations.
Conclusions:
- Immunotherapy combinations represent a significant advance in treating advanced HCC.
- Further research is needed to optimize combination strategies and manage toxicity.
- Identifying predictive biomarkers is crucial for personalized treatment and overcoming resistance.
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