Clinical efficacy of immunotherapy in combination of locoregional therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

作者：Xinyue Chen, Mohan Huang, Ranran Liu, Lawrence Wing Chi Chan · 发表于：Frontiers in Immunology · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3389/fimmu.2026.1706375 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis、Cholangiocarcinoma and Gallbladder Cancer Studies、Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The majority of patients with HCC are diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in limited treatment options. In recent years, numerous clinical trials have confirmed that immunotherapy, particularly anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), has emerged as a promising treatment for advanced HCC. However, in real-world practice, the clinical efficacy of adding immunotherapy to locoregional therapies remains unknown, representing a knowledge gap. Aims This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy combined with locoregional therapies, including transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), and HAIC/TACE combined with targeted agents, versus locoregional therapies alone in patients with advanced HCC. Methods Eligible studies were identified by searching Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The clinical outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events (AEs). Pooled hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and meta-regression were used to estimate clinical outcomes. Quality assessments were performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Form. The funnel plot was used for detecting publication bias. Results ...