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Li et al. Hepatoma Res 2020;6:15 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2019.34

Review Open Access

Cytotoxic immune cell-based immunotherapy for
hepatocellular carcinoma

Jing Li , Longxiang Tao , Xuefu Wang
2
1
3
1 School of Life Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
2 Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui, China.
3 School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
Correspondence to: Xuefu Wang, PhD, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, #81, Meishan Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui, China.
E-mail: wangxuefu@ahmu.edu.cn

How to cite this article: Li J, Tao L, Wang X. Cytotoxic immune cell-based immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatoma Res
2020;6:15. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2019.34

Received: 17 Nov 2019 First Decision: 24 Feb 2020 Revised: 16 Mar 2020 Accepted: 24 Mar 2020 Published: 10 Apr 2020

Science Editors: Jia Fan, Ying-Hong Shi Copy Editor: Jing-Wen Zhang Production Editor: Tian Zhang

Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common solid tumors with poor clinical prognosis. Novel
therapeutic regimens are urgently required for patients with advanced HCC. Both pre-clinical and clinical studies
suggest immunotherapy as an attractive alternative for advanced HCC treatment. Natural killer (NK) cells
+
and CD8 T cells are the most important cytotoxic immune cells involved in cancer treatment and elimination.
+
Reinvigorating the anticancer activity of NK and CD8 T cells is the fundamental guarantee for the success of
immunotherapy in advanced HCC treatment. Therefore, in this review, we aim to summarize the characteristics
+
and roles of NK and CD8 T cells in HCC development, describe the frontiers of immunotherapy for advanced
HCC based on immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell transfer, and discuss their limitations and scope for
future improvement.

+
Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, immunotherapy, natural killer cells, CD8 T cells

INTRODUCTION
Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is only the fifth-most common cancer worldwide, it ranks second
[1]
in cancer-related mortality . Local regional therapies such as surgical resection, cryoablation, radiofrequency
ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and liver transplantation are effective only for patients with early-
[2]
stage HCC . Multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) provide options for systemic treatment of

© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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