Emerging treatment modalities for systemic therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has long been a major global clinical problem as one of the most common malignant tumours with a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Although potentially curative therapies are available for the early and intermediate stages, the treatment of patients with advanced HCC remains to be resolved. Fortunately, the past few years have shown the emergence of successful systemic therapies to treat HCC. At the molecular level, HCC is a heterogeneous disease, and current research on the molecular characteristics of HCC has revealed numerous therapeutic targets. Targeted agents based on signalling molecules have been successfully supported in clinical trials, and molecular targeted therapy has already become a milestone for disease management in patients with HCC. Immunotherapy, a viable approach for the treatment of HCC, recognizes the antigens expressed by the tumour and treats the tumour using the immune system of the host, making it both selective and specific. In addition, the pipeline for HCC is evolving towards combination therapies with promising clinical outcomes. More drugs designed to focus on specific pathways and immune checkpoints are being developed in the clinic. It has been demonstrated that some drugs can improve the prognosis of patients with HCC in first- or second-line settings, and these drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or are nearing approval. This review describes targeting pathways and systemic treatment strategies in HCC and summarizes effective targeted and immune-based drugs for patients with HCC and the problems encountered.

Comprehensive analysis to identify the neurotransmitter receptor-related genes as prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma

“…In 2020, China contributed more than 45% of new cases and deaths from HCC. Additionally, the high heterogeneity and lack of biomarkers for prognosis prediction make it more challengeable for a HCC treatment (Qing et al, 2021).…”

Investigation of apoptotic effects of Cucurbitacin D, I, and E mediated by Bax/Bcl‐xL, caspase‐3/9, and oxidative stress modulators in HepG2 cell line

“…However, the signaling pathways involved in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis are highly diverse and interconnected, forming a complex communication network (Martin, 2003). Thus, targeting specific receptors or signaling pathways with inhibitors and chemotherapeutics has limitations (Qing et al, 2021). As a result, there has been a shift towards therapies that induce apoptosis by targeting multiple signaling pathways (Stotz et al, 2015).…”

Immunotherapy-based novel nanoparticles in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer: Trends and challenges

“…However, the prognosis after surgery is still poor. Recently, the development of molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy for HCC has gained recognition in clinical studies[ 68 ]. Moreover, NDDSs can improve the efficiency of drug delivery into the tumor area and reduce side effects[ 69 - 71 ].…”