Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer, usually developing in people with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or fatty liver disease. Treatment depends on tumor size, liver function, and whether the cancer has spread — options range from surgery and ablation for early-stage disease to systemic therapy for advanced cancer.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing combinations of immunotherapy drugs, targeted therapies that block cancer growth signals, and new approaches to delivering radiation or chemotherapy directly to liver tumors. Researchers are also studying how to prevent liver cancer in people with cirrhosis, and how to make more patients eligible for transplant by shrinking tumors first.
Immunotherapy combinations
Combining checkpoint inhibitors like atezolizumab with anti-VEGF drugs has become standard for advanced disease. Trials are now testing triple combinations and new immune-based approaches to improve response rates.
Locoregional therapies
Radioembolization using radioactive beads and other targeted delivery methods aim to destroy tumors while preserving healthy liver tissue. Studies are testing whether combining these with systemic therapy works better than either alone.
Surgical eligibility expansion
Trials are testing whether systemic therapy before surgery or transplant can shrink tumors enough to make more patients eligible. This could expand curative treatment options for people initially considered beyond surgery.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on liver function (Child-Pugh score), tumor size and spread, prior treatments, and the underlying cause of liver disease.
What types of trials are currently open
- Systemic therapy trials — Testing new combinations of immunotherapy and targeted drugs, usually pills or infusions, for advanced liver cancer that cannot be removed surgically.
- Locoregional trials — Studies of treatments delivered directly to the liver, such as radioembolization, ablation, or chemoembolization, often for tumors confined to the liver.
- Surgical trials — Testing whether giving systemic therapy before or after surgery improves outcomes, or whether new approaches can make more tumors removable.
- Prevention trials — Testing drugs or other interventions in people with cirrhosis to see if liver cancer can be prevented or detected earlier.
- Biomarker studies — Following patients to identify which tumors respond to which treatments based on genetic or molecular features.
Recently added Hepatocellular Carcinoma trials
Receive liver cancer surgery with a studied anesthesia approach
According to recent literature, liver disease causes approximately 2 million deaths annually; 1 million are attributed to the complications of cirrhosis, while the remaining deaths are caused by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The latter currently ranks 16th among the leading causes of death worldwide. Current research focuses on investigating novel therapeutic modalities, optimizing surgical and anesthetic practices, and identifying biological biomarkers to predict disease progression and severity. In this study, we address radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with the goal of improving periprocedural prognosis, recurrence rates, and overall survival. Specifically, we will quantify the expression of NETosis, a relatively novel biomarker with potential therapeutic and prognostic value in HCC progression. NETosis is a regulated form of cell death through which granulocytes release decondensed chromatin and various proteases into the extracellular space, forming a web-like meshwork known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These structures are actively involved in hepatic tumorigenesis by promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Recent clinical data reveal that NETs play a key role in: Local tumor progression The incidence of hepatic metastasis Direct modulation of the immune response Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury Several recent studies demonstrate that the in vivo blockade of NETosis reduces tumor recurrence, mitigates the pro-inflammatory state, and serves as a valuable prognostic indicator in advanced liver disease \[2,3,4\]. To suppress NETosis expression and ultimately lower recurrence rates, our protocol evaluates the intraprocedural administration of 1% lidocaine followed by a continuous postoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion.
Take a three-drug combination for advanced liver cancer
This is a prospective, single-arm, investigator-initiated clinical study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lenalidomide in combination with targeted therapy and immunotherapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have experienced disease progression after multiple lines of systemic treatment. Eligible patients must have received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy, including both targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based treatment, and must have previously achieved clinical benefit from their most recent treatment regimen before developing disease progression. Participants will continue their current targeted therapy and immunotherapy regimen and receive lenalidomide as add-on treatment. The study will assess antitumor activity, survival outcomes, and treatment-related adverse events. The primary objectives are to evaluate 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) and the incidence of grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Secondary objectives include objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), and overall survival (OS).
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