In 2019, powerful single-cell analyses were applied to liver cancer biology at an unprecedented level. In parallel with this achievement was the identification of serum α-fetoprotein as a biomarker for patient selection in the use of ramucirumab for liver cancer and that β-catenin activation can distinguish between liver cancer immunotherapy responders and non-responders.
Key advances
Powerful single-cell analyses discover rare cellular sub-populations and complex cell–cell interactions at an unprecedented level, which could help to solve key questions in liver biology and liver cancer2.
The identification of serum α-fetoprotein levels as a biomarker for patient selection in the use of ramucirumab highlights the importance of patient stratification for better treatment outcomes6.
Specific molecular mutations of hepatocellular carcinoma tumours such as β-catenin help to distinguish between immunotherapy responders and non-responders, as well as opening up new avenues for treatments9.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Effects of Bacillus subtilis iturin A on HepG2 cells in vitro and vivo
AMB Express Open Access 10 May 2021
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Yang, J. D. et al. A global view of hepatocellular carcinoma: trends, risk, prevention and management. Nat. Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 16, 589–604 (2019).
Jiang, Y. et al. Proteomics identifies new therapeutic targets of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma. Nature 567, 257–261 (2019).
Aizarani, N. et al. A human liver cell atlas reveals heterogeneity and epithelial progenitors. Nature 572, 199–204 (2019).
Xue, R. et al. Genomic and transcriptomic profiling of combined hepatocellular and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma reveals distinct molecular subtypes. Cancer Cell 35, 932–947 (2019).
Brunt, E. et al. cHCC-CCA: consensus terminology for primary liver carcinomas with both hepatocytic and cholangiocytic differentation. Hepatology 68, 113–126 (2018).
Zhu, A. X. et al. Ramucirumab after sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and increased α-fetoprotein concentrations (REACH-2): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 20, 282–296 (2019).
Abou-Alfa, G. K. et al. Cabozantinib in patients with advanced and progressing hepatocellular carcinoma. N. Engl. J. Med. 379, 54–63 (2018).
Zhu, A. X. et al. Ramucirumab versus placebo as second-line treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma following first-line therapy with sorafenib (REACH): a randomised, double-blind, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 16, 859–70 (2015).
Ruiz de Galarreta, M. et al. β-Catenin activation promotes immune escape and resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Discov. 9, 1124–1141 (2019).
Senni, N. et al. β-Catenin-activated hepatocellular carcinomas are addicted to fatty acids. Gut 68, 322–334 (2019).
Acknowledgements
I.O.-L.N. is Loke Yew Professor in Pathology at The University of Hong Kong.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chan, LK., Ng, I.OL. Joining the dots for better liver cancer treatment. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 17, 74–75 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0238-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0238-3
This article is cited by
-
The Secondary Metabolites of Bacillus subtilis Strain Z15 Induce Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins (2023)
-
Effects of Bacillus subtilis iturin A on HepG2 cells in vitro and vivo
AMB Express (2021)