Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and often develops in people with cirrhosis from hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or alcohol-related liver disease. Treatment depends on tumor size, liver function, and whether cancer has spread — options include surgery, ablation, transplant, and systemic therapies. Five-year survival has improved with new immunotherapy combinations, but most cases are still diagnosed at advanced stages.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing combinations of checkpoint inhibitors with targeted drugs that block blood vessel growth, CAR-T cell therapy engineered to attack liver tumors, and new ablation techniques for tumors that can't be removed surgically. Researchers are also studying whether antiviral treatments for hepatitis B and C can prevent liver cancer in high-risk patients, and testing biomarkers to catch tumors earlier when cure is possible.
Immunotherapy combinations
Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab became the first combination to outperform sorafenib, the old standard drug, and was FDA-approved in 2020. Trials are now testing other checkpoint inhibitor combinations and sequencing strategies to see if earlier use improves outcomes.
Locoregional therapies
New ablation methods, including microwave and irreversible electroporation, aim to destroy tumors that are too large or poorly located for surgery. Studies are combining these with immunotherapy to see if killing tumor cells helps the immune system recognize and attack remaining cancer.
CAR-T cell therapy
Researchers are engineering immune cells to target glypican-3, a protein abundant on liver cancer cells. Early trials showed some responses, though managing toxicity in patients with cirrhosis remains challenging.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on liver function (measured by Child-Pugh score), tumor size and number, prior treatments, and whether cirrhosis is compensated or decompensated.
What types of trials are currently open
- Immunotherapy trials — Testing checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab and nivolumab, alone or combined with drugs that block tumor blood vessels, to see if they shrink tumors or extend survival.
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing pills that block specific cancer growth signals, including lenvatinib and cabozantinib, often in people whose cancer progressed on first-line treatment.
- Ablation trials — Testing heat, cold, or electrical energy to destroy tumors, sometimes combined with systemic drugs to improve local control.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether antiviral therapy, statins, or aspirin reduce liver cancer risk in people with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.
- Early detection studies — Following high-risk patients with ultrasound and blood tests to find tumors when they're small enough to cure, and validating new biomarkers.
Recently added Liver Cancer trials
Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Thoracic Epidural Analgesia for Open Liver Resection
Background: Open liver resection is associated with severe postoperative pain. While thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) is considered the gold standard for pain control, its clinical application is often limited by postoperative coagulation profile derangement, which increases the risk of epidural hematoma. Continuous erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has emerged as a promising, safer alternative with a lower risk of bleeding complications. Objective: This study aims to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy, safety profiles, and impacts on respiratory function between ultrasound-guided continuous ESPB and TEA in patients undergoing elective open liver resection. Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that continuous ESPB using a programmed intermittent bolus (PIB) regimen is non-inferior to TEA regarding 72-hour postoperative pain scores at rest, while offering superior hemodynamic stability and fewer technique-related risks.
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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