Radiotherapy Delays Second-line Drug Therapy for Oligo Progressive Primary Liver Cancer

Recent years have seen significant advancements in the treatment landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the emergence of targeted and immunotherapy strategies reshaping first-line therapy. Sorafenib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, initially set the standard, followed by approvals for lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab. Immunotherapy, particularly combinations like atezolizumab with bevacizumab, has shown superior efficacy over sorafenib. Despite these advances, second-line therapies offer limited progression-free survival (mPFS: 2-3 months), necessitating new approaches. Radiotherapy, bolstered by technological advancements, has shown promise. Techniques like stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) combined with PD-1 inhibitors achieve significant response rates and survival benefits. Combining radiotherapy with targeted immunotherapy has also demonstrated improved outcomes. Radiotherapy, especially in oligometastatic HCC, is increasingly favored due to its ability to enhance local control without increasing toxicity. These developments underscore the evolving landscape of HCC treatment towards personalized and multimodal approaches.