title: Immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: Primed to make a difference?
abstract: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carries a dismal prognosis and the current treatment is limited to sorafenib, an agent with modest benefit. Preclinical data have indicated that several immunologic mechanisms are at play to promote HCC development and growth while impairing effective antitumor immune surveillance. Several novel approaches geared toward manipulating the immune response to HCC have suggested a therapeutic benefit in early-stage clinical trials, indicating a real potential to augment tumor-specific immunity and improve outcomes in patients with this disease. In the current study, the authors reviewed the barriers to an effective immune response against HCC and contemporary clinical investigations that may be "primed" to alter the natural history of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.|Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Harding
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine/Hematology and Oncology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Imane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: El Dika
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.|Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Ghassan K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Abou-Alfa
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D000077594:Nivolumab; D050130:Oncolytic Virotherapy / Q000379:methods; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019139:Tumor Escape
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D016207:Cytokines; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011804:Quinolines; C000613593:durvalumab; D000077594:Nivolumab; C557799:LY-2157299; D007372:Interferons; C520704:tremelimumab
keywords: checkpoint inhibitors; hepatocellular carcinoma; immune evasion; immunotherapy