Systemic Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Challenges and Future Directions
A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729). This special issue belongs to the section "Gastrointestinal Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1078
Special Issue Editors
Interests: liver cirrhosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; portal hypertension
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: hepatocellular carcinoma; multiparametric therapeutic hierarchy; conversion therapy; liver transplantation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite notable improvements in surveillance and loco-regional therapies, a large proportion of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages where systemic treatment is the cornerstone of care. Over the last decade, multikinase inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and innovative combination regimens have dramatically reshaped the therapeutic landscape. Yet, critical challenges remain—including primary and acquired resistance, optimal sequencing of therapies, and integration with loco-regional approaches.
A particularly promising and rapidly evolving area is conversion therapy, whereby systemic treatment is employed to downstage initially unresectable or borderline-resectable HCC, rendering patients eligible for potentially curative surgical resection, liver transplantation, or ablation. Early clinical evidence suggests that tailored systemic regimens—often combining immunotherapy and targeted agents—can increase resection rates and improve long-term outcomes, but optimal patient selection and treatment protocols are still being defined.
This Special Issue of Current Oncology invites original research articles, clinical studies, reviews, and perspectives that explore the full spectrum of systemic therapy in HCC, with a focus on both current challenges and emerging strategies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Novel systemic agents and combination regimens;
- Predictive biomarkers and mechanisms of resistance;
- Translational research bridging molecular insights and clinical application;
- Integration of systemic therapy with loco-regional treatments;
- Conversion therapy: patient selection, treatment strategies, and surgical outcomes;
- Real-world evidence and health economics of systemic treatments;
- Future directions in immunotherapy and targeted approaches.
We look forward to your valuable contributions to advance understanding and improve outcomes for patients with this challenging malignancy.
Dr. Andrea Martini
Dr. Alessandro Vitale
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Oncology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- immunotherapy
- conversion therapy
- hepatocellular carcinoma
- surgical therapy: transplantation
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