Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer, often developing in people with chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or cirrhosis from any cause. Treatment depends on tumor size, liver function, and whether cancer has spread. Options include surgery, ablation, embolization, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy combinations that have changed outcomes significantly in recent years.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing immunotherapy combinations that attack cancer in multiple ways, targeted drugs that block specific growth signals, locoregional therapies that deliver treatment directly to tumors, and earlier use of systemic treatments to prevent recurrence after surgery. Researchers are also studying ways to predict which tumors will respond to immunotherapy and how to treat people whose liver function is too poor for current drugs.
Immunotherapy combinations
The combination of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab became the standard first treatment for advanced disease in 2020. Trials are now testing other immunotherapy pairs and triplets to see if they work even better.
After-surgery treatment
Many tumors come back after surgery or ablation. Trials are testing whether immunotherapy or targeted drugs given after treatment can prevent recurrence and extend survival.
Locoregional therapies
New forms of embolization deliver chemotherapy or radiation directly into liver tumors through blood vessels. Studies are combining these with immunotherapy to see if the local treatment helps the immune drugs work better.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on liver function (Child-Pugh score), extent of disease, prior treatments, hepatitis status, and performance status.
What types of trials are currently open
- First-line treatment trials — Testing new immunotherapy combinations or targeted drugs as the first systemic treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma that can't be removed surgically.
- Second-line trials — Testing treatments for people whose cancer grew despite initial therapy, often comparing new drugs to cabozantinib or regorafenib.
- Adjuvant trials — Testing whether immunotherapy or targeted drugs after surgery, ablation, or embolization can prevent cancer from returning.
- Locoregional trials — Testing embolization techniques that deliver chemotherapy or radiation beads directly into liver tumors, sometimes combined with immunotherapy.
- Biomarker studies — Looking for blood or tumor markers that predict which people will respond to immunotherapy or targeted drugs.
Recently added Hepatocellular Carcinoma trials
Receive a new radiation therapy system designed for shorter, easier treatments
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the "Next Generation Delivery System" (NGDS) and determine if this machine will be more efficient at delivering radiation in shorter treatment time and better patient tolerance, with less breath holding.
Share your health data to help predict liver cancer risk
Evaluating the effectiveness of standardized HCC risk stratification management in improving early diagnosis rates in patients with chronic liver disease
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