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Ni et al. Hepatoma Res 2020;6:25 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2020.14

Review Open Access

The advancement of immunotherapy in
hepatocellular carcinoma

Ling Ni , Yu Feng , Chen Dong 1,2
1
1
1 Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
2 Beijing Key Lab for Immunological Research on Chronic Diseases, Beijing 100084, China.
Correspondence to: Dr. Chen Dong, Institute for Immunology and School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Medical Research
Building, No.30 Haidian Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100084, China. E-mail: chendong@tsinghua.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Ni L, Feng Y, Dong C. The advancement of immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatoma Res
2020;6:25. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2020.14
Received: 12 Feb 2020 First Decision: 16 Mar 2020 Revised: 2 Apr 2020 Accepted: 10 Apr 2020 Published: 11 May 2020

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

Abstract
Most patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) present with advanced or metastatic disease.
Received: First Decision: Revised: Accepted: Published:
The lack of therapeutic options in the treatment of advanced HCC accounts for its high mortality and recurrence
Science Editor: Copy Editor: Production Editor: Jing Yu rate. HCC is known as an immunogenic tumor, which develops in chronically inflamed livers. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1
antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors, ICB) were approved by the FDA to treat advanced HCC in patients
previously treated with sorafenib as a second line. This has opened up a new era of anticancer treatment, although
the response rate of HCC to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies is only around 20%. Other than ICB treatment, adoptive
cell transfer, dendritic cell-based vaccines and oncolytic therapy are currently under clinical trials. In this review,
different immunotherapy approaches for HCC is presented. Current knowledge on the mechanisms of action
for each approach is discussed and relevant, ongoing clinical trials are presented. We also discuss the future of
immunotherapy and combination treatment for HCC patients.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, immunotherapy, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies

INTRODUCTION
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer, and the second most common
cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The incidence of HCC is higher in China and may account for
[1]
50% of new cases globally each year . Most HCCs in China and South-East Asia are caused by the hepatitis

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