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Hepatology International
Published in: Hepatology International 6/2020

01-12-2020 | Hepatocellular Carcinoma | Review Article

Current perspectives on the tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Authors: Cositha Santhakumar, Edward J. Gane, Ken Liu, Geoffrey W. McCaughan

Published in: Hepatology International | Issue 6/2020

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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous inflammation-driven malignancy, which, despite significant advances in management, continues to portend a poor prognosis. Recent advances in basic and translational research have increasingly defined the role of the tumor microenvironment in the development and progression of HCC and facilitated the development of novel molecular targets. The hepatoma microenvironment is characterised by an immunosuppressive milieu of immune cells and tumor vasculature that is both structurally and functionally abnormal. Normalising the tumor microenvironment by adopting a multipronged approach that targets both carcinogenic processes and the immunosuppressive milieu has been supported by pre-clinical and clinical data. In this review, we summarise the current understanding of the hepatoma microenvironment, its influences and dynamic interactions with tumor cells, the vasculature and the gut. Finally, we discuss how manipulating the tumor microenvironment continues to shape the evolving landscape of HCC therapy.
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Metadata
Title
Current perspectives on the tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors
Cositha Santhakumar
Edward J. Gane
Ken Liu
Geoffrey W. McCaughan
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
Springer India
Published in
Hepatology International / Issue 6/2020
Print ISSN: 1936-0533
Electronic ISSN: 1936-0541
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-020-10104-3

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