Topic: Combining Locoregional and Systemic Therapies in HCC: From Strategy to Survival

The management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has undergone profound changes with the development of systemic therapies such as targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors, alongside significant advances in locoregional treatments, including ablation, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), and radiotherapy. Emerging evidence suggests that combining locoregional and systemic therapies may achieve synergistic antitumor effects, prolong survival, and improve patient outcomes. Nevertheless, challenges remain in understanding the underlying mechanisms, optimizing combination strategies, and identifying predictive biomarkers. This Special Issue seeks to comprehensively explore the mechanistic rationale, clinical applications, treatment sequencing, and real-world experiences of combining locoregional and systemic therapies in HCC, with the goal of informing future therapeutic innovations and enhancing multidisciplinary management of this complex disease.

Topics

1. Mechanistic Basis of Combining Locoregional and Systemic Therapies in HCC;

2. Immunomodulatory Effects of Locoregional Therapies in HCC Treatment;

3. Optimizing the Timing and Sequencing of Locoregional and Systemic Therapies;

4. Clinical Evidence for TACE Plus Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors;

5. HAIC Combined with Targeted Therapies or Immunotherapies: Current Status and Future Directions;

6. Ablation and Immunotherapy: A New Paradigm in Early-Stage HCC;

7. Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) Combined with Systemic Therapy;

8. Radiotherapy Synergizing with Immune and Targeted Therapies in HCC;

9. Real-World Data and Challenges in Combined Locoregional-Systemic Strategies;

10. Patient Selection Criteria for Combined Approaches in Intermediate and Advanced HCC;

11. Biomarkers Predicting Response to Locoregional-Systemic Combination Therapies;

12. Managing Adverse Events in Combined Locoregional and Systemic Treatments;

13. Future Directions: Emerging Agents and Innovative Combination Strategies;

14. Impact of Combined Therapies on Post-Treatment Liver Function and Long-Term Outcomes;

15. Designing Clinical Trials for Locoregional and Systemic Combination Therapy in HCC.