Liver Cancer Awareness Month: 2021 Immunotherapy Research Updates

Liver cancer is the third highest cancer-related death worldwide, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type, comprises 75-90% of liver cancer cases.

CRI-Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation Fellow Francisco Juan Martínez-Navarro, PhD, and former CRI Fellow Sofia de Oliveira, PhD, of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine co-authored a new paper in Cancer Research focusing on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)'s role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The research team created new techniques using a NASH-linked HCC zebrafish to evaluate the liver microenvironment and immune cell composition at early stages of hepatocarcinogenesis. 

This October for Liver Cancer Awareness Month, let’s delve into new treatments, research insights, and how we are fueling a future immune to cancer.

Ask Your Immunotherapy Questions

Join us at the 2021 Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit on October 7–8, 2021, in a live discussion about new immune-based treatments for cancer. This free event connects you with cancer patients and immunotherapy experts at the comfort of your own home.

Register for the virtual summit

Liver Cancer Scientist Spotlight

CRI Fellow Siva Karthik Varanasi, PhD, of Salk Institute of Biological Studies is distinguishing the mechanisms behind bile acid-mediated inhibition of killer T cells and studying novel therapeutic interventions to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy for liver cancer.

Learn about Dr. Varanasi’s Cancer Research

Immunotherapy for Liver Cancer Info Update

Three approvals of immunotherapies for hepatocellular carcinoma occurred in 2020. Nivolumab and ipilimumab (Yervoy) were approved for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients, and atezolizumab (Tecentriq) and bevacizumab (Avastin) were approved for patients with metastatic HCC not treated with systemic therapy. As the research and treatment landscape evolves, we keep our information up to date.

Read Liver Cancer Update

Find a Liver Cancer Clinical Trial

A variety of new and promising cancer immunotherapy treatments are only available to patients in clinical trials. Help speed the development of potentially lifesaving drugs. Discover trials for which you or a loved one may be eligible with the CRI Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Finder.

Find a Cancer Clinical Trial

Support Liver Cancer Research

CRI CLIP Investigator Seth B. Coffelt, PhD, of the University of Glasgow is investigating gamma delta T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma for immunotherapy. This Liver Cancer Awareness Month, support lifesaving cancer immunotherapy research. 

Donate to Liver Cancer Research