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Liu H, Wang C, Wang R, Cao H, Cao Y, Huang T, Lu Z, Xiao H, Hu M, Wang H, Zhao J. New insights into mechanisms and interventions of locoregional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma. Chin J Cancer Res 2024; 36:167-194. [PMID: 38751435 PMCID: PMC11090796 DOI: 10.21147/j.issn.1000-9604.2024.02.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for a significant number of cancer-related deaths worldwide and its incidence is increasing. Locoregional treatments, which are precision procedures guided by imaging to specifically target liver tumors, play a critical role in the management of a substantial portion of HCC cases. These therapies have become an essential element of the HCC treatment landscape, with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) being the treatment of choice for patients with intermediate to advanced stages of the disease. Other locoregional therapies, like radiofrequency ablation, are highly effective for small, early-stage HCC. Nevertheless, the advent of targeted immunotherapy has challenged these established treatments. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown remarkable efficacy in clinical settings. However, their specific uses and the development of resistance in subsequent treatments have led clinicians to reevaluate the future direction of HCC therapy. This review concentrates on the distinct features of both systemic and novel locoregional therapies. We investigate their effects on the tumor microenvironment at the molecular level and discuss how targeted immunotherapy can be effectively integrated with locoregional therapies. We also examine research findings from retrospective studies and randomized controlled trials on various combined treatment regimens, assessing their validity to determine the future evolution of locoregional therapies within the framework of personalized, comprehensive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanyuan Liu
- Department of General surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Ruiqiang Wang
- School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Hengsong Cao
- Department of General surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Yongfang Cao
- Department of General surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Tian Huang
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210024, China
| | - Zhengqing Lu
- Hepatobiliary/Liver Transplantation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Living Donor Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing 210024, China
| | - Hua Xiao
- Department of General surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Mengcheng Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Jiangning Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211103, China
| | - Hanjin Wang
- Department of General surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210019, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, the Affiliated Changzhou Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213001, China
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Chami P, Diab Y, Khalil DN, Azhari H, Jarnagin WR, Abou-Alfa GK, Harding JJ, Hajj J, Ma J, El Homsi M, Reyngold M, Crane C, Hajj C. Radiation and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Combination Therapy for Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16773. [PMID: 38069095 PMCID: PMC10706661 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver tumor immune microenvironment has been thought to possess a critical role in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors, for several types of cancers, including HCC, liver metastases have shown evidence of resistance or poor response to immunotherapies. Radiation therapy (RT) has displayed evidence of immunosuppressive effects through the upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules post-treatment. However, it was revealed that the limitations of ICIs can be overcome through the use of RT, as it can reshape the liver immune microenvironment. Moreover, ICIs are able to overcome the RT-induced inhibitory signals, effectively restoring anti-tumor activity. Owing to the synergetic effect believed to arise from the combination of ICIs with RT, several clinical trials are currently ongoing to assess the efficacy and safety of this treatment for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perla Chami
- Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107, Lebanon;
| | - Youssef Diab
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Beirut 1100, Lebanon; (Y.D.)
| | - Danny N. Khalil
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Hassan Azhari
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - William R. Jarnagin
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Surgery, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - James J. Harding
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Joseph Hajj
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Beirut 1100, Lebanon; (Y.D.)
| | - Jennifer Ma
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Maria El Homsi
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Marsha Reyngold
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Carla Hajj
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
- New York Proton Center, New York, NY 10035, USA
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Spyridon P, Antonia S, Dionysia M, Ioanna S, Georgia B, Nikolaos P, Petros G, Ioannis E. Efficacy of Αtezolizumab-Βevacizumab in BCLC-C cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma according to the type of disease progression, the type of BCLC-C and liver disease severity. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023:10.1007/s00432-023-04846-4. [PMID: 37199835 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04846-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of our study was to evaluate, under real-life conditions, survival of patients with advanced HCC (BCLC-C), either initially presenting in that stage or migrating from BCLC-A to BCLC-C within 2 years after curative LR/RFA, treated either with Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab or TKIs. METHODS Sixty-four cirrhotic patients with advanced HCC, who either initially presented as BCLC-C and were treated with Atezo-Bev (group A, N = 23) or TKIs (group B, N = 15) or who migrated from BCLC-A to BCLC-C stage within 2 years after LR/RFA and were either treated with Atezo-Bev (group C, N = 12) or TKIs (group D, N = 14), were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS The four groups were comparable for all baseline parameters (demographics/platelets/liver disease etiology/diabetes/varices/Child-Pugh stage/ALBI grade) except for CPT score and MELD-Na. Using Cox-regression analysis, we observed that survival of group C after systemic treatment onset was significantly higher compared to group A (HR 3.71, 1.20-11.46, p = 0.02) and presented a trend to statistical significance when compared to group D (HR 3.14, 0.95-10.35, p = 0.06), adjusted for liver disease severity scores. When all BCLC-C patients classified as such due to PS only were excluded from the study, a trend for the same survival benefit in group C was shown, even in the most difficult-to-treat population with extrahepatic disease or macrovascular invasion. CONCLUSION Cirrhotic patients with advanced HCC initially diagnosed in BCLC-C, exhibit the worst survival irrespective of treatment schedule, whereas patients progressing to BCLC-C following disease recurrence after LR/RFA, seem to mostly benefit from Atezo-Bev, even patients with extrahepatic disease and/or macrovascular invasion. Liver disease severity seems to drive survival of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantzios Spyridon
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece.
| | - Syriha Antonia
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Mandilara Dionysia
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Stathopoulou Ioanna
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Barla Georgia
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Ptohis Nikolaos
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Galanis Petros
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
| | - Elefsiniotis Ioannis
- Academic Department of Internal Medicine-Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General and Oncology Hospital of Kifisia "Agioi Anargyroi", National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Timiou Stavrou and Noufaron 14, Kalyftaki, N. Kifisia, 14564, Athens, Greece
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