Drug co-administration in the HCC tumor immune microenvironment

Abstract

The etiology and exact molecular mechanisms of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear, and its incidence has continued to increase in recent years. Despite tremendous advances in systemic therapies such as molecularly targeted drugs, HCC has some of the worst prognoses owing to drug resistance, frequent recurrence, and metastasis. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a widespread disease and its progression is regulated by the immune system. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been gradually theorized and systematized to have a holistic regulatory role for use in the prevention and treatment of tumors. Although half of the patients with HCC receive systemic therapy, traditionally Sorafenib or Lenvatinib are used as first-line treatment modalities. Traditional Chinese Medicine is also widely used in the treatment of HCC, the same immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as PD-L1 have also received much focus in the field of continuously changing cancer treatment. Owing to the high probability of resistance to specific drugs and unsatisfactory efficacy due to administration of chemotherapy in single doses, the combination of drugs is the newest therapeutic option for patients with tumors and has become increasingly prominent for treatment. In this paper, the research progress on combination therapy in the immunology of HCC is reviewed and the unique advantages of synergistic antitumor therapy with combination drugs are highlighted to provide new solutions for the clinical treatment of tumors.