Systemic Therapy: A New Hope for Advanced Liver Cancer Treatment

Systemic Therapy is a treatment approach for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) that uses medications to eliminate or control cancer cells throughout the body. Unlike local therapies such as surgery or Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE), systemic therapy is not limited to targeting specific tumor sites.

Goals of Systemic Therapy in Liver Cancer Treatment

• Inhibit the growth of cancer cells
• Slow the spread of cancer
• Shrink tumors and relieve symptoms
• Prolong patient survival and improve quality of life

Types of Systemic Therapy for Liver Cancer

1. Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy focuses on specific molecules and pathways involved in cancer growth, such as the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors.

Examples of Drugs:

• Sorafenib (Nexavar): The first approved drug for advanced liver cancer, blocking blood vessel formation and cancer cell division.
• Lenvatinib (Lenvima): An alternative first-line therapy with similar effectiveness to Sorafenib.
• Regorafenib (Stivarga): Used for patients unresponsive to Sorafenib.
• Cabozantinib (Cabometyx): For patients who failed previous treatments.

2. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s immune system to destroy cancer cells by blocking proteins that allow cancer to evade immune detection.

Examples of Drugs:

• Atezolizumab + Bevacizumab: Combines immunotherapy with anti-angiogenic therapy, offering superior outcomes compared to targeted therapy alone.
• Nivolumab (Opdivo): A PD-1 inhibitor that boosts immune response against cancer.
• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda): Used for patients who do not respond to other treatments.

3. Chemotherapy

Although not the main treatment for liver cancer due to cancer cell resistance, chemotherapy is sometimes combined with other therapies.

Examples of Drugs:

• Doxorubicin
• Cisplatin

These drugs are typically used when no other treatments are effective or as part of TACE procedures.