title: Targeted therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: The onset of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is related to the development of non-neoplastic liver disease, such as viral infections and cirrhosis. Even though patients with chronic liver diseases undergo clinical surveillance for early diagnosis of HCC, this cancer is often diagnosed in advanced stage. In this case locoregional treatment is not possible and systemic therapies are the best way to control it. Until now sorafenib, a Raf and multi-kinase inhibitor has been the best, choice to treat HCC systemically. It showed a survival benefit in multicenter phase III trials. However the proper patient setting to treat is not well defined, since the results in Child-Pugh B patients are conflicting. To date various new target drugs are under developed and other biological treatments normally indicated in other malignancies are under investigation also for HCC. These strategies aim to target the different biological pathways implicated in HCC development and progression. The target drugs studied in HCC include anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors. The most important challenge is represented by the best integration of these drugs with standard treatments to achieve improvement in overall survival and quality of life.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bronte
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bronte
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cusenza
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rolfo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bronte
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Firenze
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angarano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.affiliation: Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Surgical and Oncological Sciences, Universita di Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy. antonio.russo@usa.net.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077157:Sorafenib; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases