From PD-1 and CTLA-4 immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, to explore the hope and future challenges of CAR-T in the treatment of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a serious threat to human health. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage with a poor prognosis. Although targeted drugs for tumors have prolonged the overall survival of HCC patients, tumor cells are generally resistant, and only a few patients in the middle and advanced stages benefit. In recent years, immunotherapy has made rapid progress in various malignant tumors. The combination of immunotherapy and targeted drugs has shown significant efficacy, among which immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has developed the fastest, such as targeting PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4. In addition, CAR-T has made breakthroughs in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and has begun to challenge the treatment of solid tumors, mainly liver cancer. This article will explore the progress of immunotherapy mainly targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 and the prospects and challenges of CAR-T in the treatment of advanced HCC.