Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma is responsible for great morbidity and mortality, being the fourth commonest cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While related to viral infections, alcohol abuse and metabolic syndrome, these tumours tend to affect patients with an already compromised liver and overall worse health status. Along with an advanced stage at diagnosis, curative treatment options are often not available, highlighting the need for systemic therapies. At the moment, immunotherapy has shown great results in the treatment of advanced stage HCC, with the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab showcasing improved overall survival and progression free survival, with manageable adverse events.

Keywords: Atezolizumab; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immunotherapy; PD-L1

Abbreviations: CTLA-4: Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4; FDA: Food and Drug Association; HCC: Hepatocellular Carcinoma; HCV: Hepatitis C Virus; ICI: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor; PD-1: Programmed Cell Death 1; PD-L1: Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1; PFS: Progression Free Survival; ORR: Overall Response Rate; OS: Overall Survival