Evaluation of Immune Responses and Outcomes in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Radiotherapy

Radiation therapy is a highly effective modality for managing localized solid tumors and has become a fundamental component of treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Our previous preclinical investigation revealed that radiotherapy can initiate immunogenic cell death and facilitate the cross-presentation of tumor antigens by antigen-presenting cells, thereby augmenting systemic anti-tumor T cell responses in murine tumor models. However, this immune response subsequent to irradiation has not been comprehensively evaluated in clinical trials involving hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Given that radiotherapy represents a standard therapeutic approach for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, our ongoing phase II non-randomized trial aims to prospectively assess immunological responses and dose-volumetric parameters, while identifying predictors of clinical outcomes in patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.