A narrative review of systemic treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma: state of the art review.

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer that typically develops in the setting of underlying cirrhosis of the liver. HCC commonly presents in advanced stages and if eligible orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and surgical resection/ablation remain as the only curative options. Prior to 2007, no systemic therapy was available that demonstrated an improvement in survival. Underlying cirrhosis and poor synthetic hepatic function provides a major challenge into effective systemic options contributing to the poor success of cytotoxic chemotherapy in HCC. The first drug to achieve clinical success was sorafenib despite the underwhelming overall survival of 3 months. Since then, other targeted therapies have shown modest benefit as well. Most recently, immunotherapy advances ha

SUBMITTER: Awosika J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8899752 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature