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Hafezi et al. Hepatoma Research 2018;4:16 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2018.55

Review Open Access

T cell immunotherapy in hepatitis B virus related
hepatocellular carcinoma

Morteza Hafezi, Antonio Bertoletti, Anthony T. Tan
Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore.

Correspondence to: Dr. Anthony T. Tan, Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road,
Singapore 169857, Singapore. E-mail: anthony.tan@duke-nus.edu.sg
How to cite this article: Hafezi M, Bertoletti A, Tan AT. T cell immunotherapy in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatoma Res 2018;4:16. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2018.55
Received: 11 May 2018 First Decision: 22 May 2018 Revised: 22 May 2018 Accepted: 22 May 2018 Published: 30 May 2018

Science Editor: Guang-Wen Cao Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While multiple
treatment modalities are available, liver transplantation remains the sole curative treatment for advanced stages
of HCC, and hence new treatment approaches are required to fulfill this unmet need of curative HCC therapy.
Our first-in-man proof-of-concept adoptive T-cell immunotherapy against HBV related hepatocellular carcinoma
metastases has shown promising results. Here, we review the development of T-cell immunotherapy targeting
HBV antigens for the treatment of HBV-HCC and discuss the practical considerations for the safe and effective
use in clinics.

Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B virus, hepatocellular carcinoma, T-cell immunotherapy

INTRODUCTION
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary liver malignancy in adults, and it occurs predominantly
in patients with chronic liver inflammation and cirrhosis. It accounts for approximately 800,000 deaths
annually worldwide and in the majority of these cases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence is
[1]
linked to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection . HBV is a non-cytopathic DNA virus from the
Hepadnaviridae family that specifically infects hepatocytes. Patients with chronic HBV infection can remain
largely asymptomatic, but viral persistence increases the risk of developing liver complications like fibrosis,
[2,3]
cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma . Despite prophylactic vaccination against HBV, approximately
[2]
300 million people globally have been infected with this virus and among chronically infected individuals,
[4]
approximately 25% will develop HCC neoplasm .

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
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