title: Targeted therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma: present and future.
abstract: Following the encouraging results of sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), targeted therapy has become a new direction of research in the treatment of HCC. Emerging data provide evidence that the pathogenesis and progression of HCC are mediated by a number of molecular defects and dysregulated pathways. Novel targeted therapies are designed to inhibit the aberrant pathways at a molecular level with an aim to improve the clinical outcome. For the past few years, an increasing number of targeted agents have been tested in HCC in the clinical setting. This review aims to summarize the current status of clinical development of targeted therapy in HCC, with focus on novel agents targeting angiogenesis, signal transduction and epigenetic dysregulation of tumors. The review also discusses the lessons learned from outcomes of completed clinical trials and provides perspectives on future clinical trials in HCC.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Sir YK Pao Center for Cancer, Department of Clinical Oncology, Hong Kong Cancer Institute and Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. chanlam_stephen@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Stephen L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Winnie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000187:drug effects; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000517:prevention & control; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met