Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Is Latin America Ready for Primetime?

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its mortality is increasing steadily.1 HCC incidence has grown in the last twenty years driven at least in part by the epidemic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).2 Unfortunately, overall survival rate for patients with HCC at 5 years is near 18%, which reflects how complex and resistant to systemic therapies this devastating disease is.2 Although new systemic drugs have been approved for advanced HCC in the first and second line, prolonging overall survival beyond a year is still difficult.1