title: Current status and future prospects of chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Sorafenib is the only drug that demonstrates a survival benefit for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the therapeutic effect of sorafenib is limited, so development of a more effective treatment method and second-line treatments is needed. Since the advent of sorafenib, clinical studies have been conducted with a variety of drugs and treatment methods, mainly with molecular targeted therapy, but almost all trials have ended in failure. The reasons for the difficulty in the development of a novel drug or treatment method include the diversity of mechanisms in the carcinogenesis and development of HCC, as well as the presence of background liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Trials with immune-checkpoint inhibitors, which have an entirely different anti-tumor mechanism from that of molecular targeted drugs or cytotoxic drugs, have recently begun. Based on the results to date, clinical trials are now being conducted with enriched target subjects. In the future, providing more individualized treatment approaches for patients with advanced HCC will be essential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokouji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan. mmori@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Michihisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokouji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Umemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokouji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077157:Sorafenib
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib
keywords: Chemotherapy; Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immune-checkpoint inhibitor; Molecular targeted therapy