Evolution of Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Despite being one of the leading causes of cancer death globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has historically not been the focus of novel drug development. That has changed in the past several years, with the results from a number of hallmark phase 3 studies in advanced HCC. In HCC, immune-oncology approaches have garnered much attention; there is still a need to better understand criteria for patient selection and to optimize combination strategies to maximize the potential of these approaches. The next generation of studies will aim at translating our increased understanding of tumor biology into clinical trial design.

Automated summary

In recent years, there has been a shift in focus towards novel drug development for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with attention being given to immune-oncology approaches. While there have been significant advancements in phase 3 studies in advanced HCC, there is still a need to optimize patient selection criteria and combination strategies to fully utilize the potential of these approaches in clinical practice. The next generation of studies will aim to translate the enhanced understanding of tumor biology into improved clinical trial designs.