T cell immunotherapy in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While multiple treatment modalities are available, liver transplantation remains the sole curative treatment for advanced stages of HCC, and hence new treatment approaches are required to fulfill this unmet need of curative HCC therapy. Our first-in-man proof-of-concept adoptive T-cell immunotherapy against HBV related hepatocellular carcinoma metastases has shown promising results. Here, we review the development of T-cell immunotherapy targeting HBV antigens for the treatment of HBV-HCC and discuss the practical considerations for the safe and effective use in clinics.

Keywords

Chronic hepatitis B virus / hepatocellular carcinoma / T-cell immunotherapy

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