Therapeutic Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Summary
The management of HCC has evolved from sole reliance on surgical resection and liver transplantation towards a multidisciplinary paradigm that integrates locoregional interventions, systemic molecular targeted therapies, immunotherapy and emerging cell or gene-based approaches. Early-stage disease benefits from curative modalities such as radiofrequency ablation and trans-arterial chemoembolisation, which can achieve local tumour control and extend survival. In advanced HCC, first-line systemic agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor signalling and other kinase pathways have demonstrated modest survival gains, and the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has further expanded therapeutic options by harnessing antitumour immunity. Combination regimens pairing targeted agents with immunotherapy or cytotoxic drugs are under active investigation, seeking to overcome adaptive resistance and intratumoural heterogeneity. Novel strategies such as differentiation induction of cancer stem cells, gene editing and modulation of the tumour microenvironment hold promise for personalised management and durable responses.
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Therapeutic Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in therapeutic strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Immunogenic cell death (ICD): Regulated tumour cell death that releases danger signals and antigens, eliciting adaptive immune responses.
cGAS-STING pathway: A cytosolic DNA sensor mechanism that activates type I interferon production and promotes immune cell recruitment.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs): Orally administered small molecules that block receptor and non-receptor kinases involved in tumour growth and angiogenesis.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs): Tumour-initiating cells with self-renewal capacity, contributing to metastasis and therapeutic resistance.
Locoregional therapy: Procedures such as trans-arterial chemoembolisation or ablation that directly target hepatic tumours while sparing normal liver tissue.
References
- Arsenic trioxide augments immunogenic cell death and induces cGAS-STING-IFN pathway activation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death & Disease (2024).
- Arsenic trioxide induces differentiation of cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of LIF/JAK1/STAT3 and NF‐kB signaling pathways synergistically. Clinical and Translational Medicine (2021).
- Therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive review. Clinical and Experimental Medicine (2023).
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