Sign in Subscribe
Cancer research

Immunotherapy Shows Promise in Treating Liver Cancer

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A groundbreaking study published in the JAMA Oncology journal has investigated the effectiveness of immunotherapy versus best supportive care in treating patients with hepatocellular cancer and Child-Pugh class B liver dysfunction. The research, conducted by a team of researchers from Imperial College London, examined the outcomes of patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies compared to those who received best supportive care (BSC). The study aimed to determine whether ICI-based therapies could improve overall survival (OS) for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) and CP-B liver dysfunction.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed data from 187 patients in the ICI group and 156 patients in the BSC group, with patients in the ICI group receiving first-line systemic therapy with either atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (A+B) or nivolumab.
  • The median age in the ICI group was 66 years, while in the BSC group, it was 73 years, with 18% of the ICI group being women compared to 26% in the BSC group.
  • The median overall survival (OS) in the ICI group was 7.50 months (95% CI, 5.62-11.15) compared to 4.04 months (95% CI, 3.03-5.03) in the BSC group, with a hazard ratio of 0.59 (95% CI, 0.43-0.80).
  • The study found that ICI-based therapies significantly improved OS in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and CP-B liver dysfunction.
  • The researchers concluded that ICI-based therapies may be a viable option for patients with CP-B liver dysfunction, potentially improving their survival rates.
  • The study highlights the need for ongoing research to better understand the effectiveness of immunotherapy in treating liver cancer, particularly in patients with advanced disease.

Statistics:

  • 187 patients in the ICI group received first-line systemic therapy with either A+B or nivolumab.
  • The median age in the ICI group was 66 years (IQR, 61-72).
  • 18% of the ICI group were women.
  • The median OS in the ICI group was 7.50 months (95% CI, 5.62-11.15).
  • The median OS in the BSC group was 4.04 months (95% CI, 3.03-5.03).
  • The hazard ratio of the ICI group compared to the BSC group was 0.59 (95% CI, 0.43-0.80).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New Research on Liver Cancer from Imperial College London Summarized (Immunotherapy vs Best Supportive Care for Patients With Hepatocellular Cancer With Child-Pugh B Dysfunction). Cancer Weekly. October 14, 2025; p 2829.
  • Immunotherapy vs Best Supportive Care for Patients With Hepatocellular Cancer With Child-Pugh B Dysfunction. JAMA Oncology, 2024,10(9). The publisher for JAMA Oncology is American Medical Association (AMA).

Read more