Role of immunity in pathogenesis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract: Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide with a high mortality. The available treatment options are limited, thus the development of new therapeutic approaches is of a high clinical significance. Key Messages: The immune system plays a central role in the pathogenesis of HCC by supporting tumor growth, tumor survival, angiogenesis and the development of vascular infiltration and metastasis. In contrast, the immune system also exhibits a protective role in tumor surveillance, and specific CD8+ T-cells can be detected for various tumor-associated antigens. However, antitumoral potential of the immune system is limited by various inhibitory mechanisms, for example, an impaired priming and activation of CD8+ T-cells, inhibitory cells (e.g., regulatory T-cells) or the expression of inhibitory receptors (e.g., programmed cell death-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4). Immunotherapeutic strategies addressing these inhibitory mechanisms, for example, by providing a source of tumor antigens, depleting immunosuppressive cells or blocking inhibitory receptors, aim to induce and boost naturally occurring antitumoral immune responses. Conclusion: HCC is a tumor with a high incidence and mortality in developing countries as well as in the Western world. Due to the immune system's central role in the pathogenesis and surveillance of HCC, immunotherapy is a new treatment option that has yielded first promising results

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Digestive diseases. - 34, 4 (2016) , 429-437, ISSN: 1421-9875

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2019
• Creator: Schmidt, Nathalie ; Thimme, Robert

Further information

• DOI: 10.1159/000444558
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-1317174
• Rights: Kein Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 25.03.2025, 1:56 PM CET