Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41281444›Full record

ArticleJHEP reports : innovation in hepatology2025

Immunologic effects of locoregional therapies for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Robin Schmidt, Bernhard Gebauer, Nilufar Akbari, Christoph Roderburg, Giovanni Federico Torsello, Uli Fehrenbach, Timo Alexander Auer, Raphael Mohr, Gracia Lana Ardila Pardo, Winna Lim and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Robin SchmidtCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Bernhard GebauerCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Nilufar AkbariCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute for Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Berlin, Germany.
Christoph RoderburgUniversitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Department for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Giovanni Federico TorselloUniversitätsklinikum Göttingen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Göttingen, Germany.
Uli FehrenbachCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Timo Alexander AuerCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Raphael MohrCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Berlin, Germany.
Gracia Lana Ardila PardoCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Winna LimCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Fabio PivettaCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Elif CanCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Charlie Alexander HammCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Frank TackeCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Berlin, Germany.
Bernd HammCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
Linda HammerichCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK) and Campus Charité Mitte (CCM), Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Berlin, Germany.
Lynn Jeanette SavicCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background & Aims: The combination of locoregional therapies (LRT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is expected to enhance immune-mediated anti-tumor effects. Although clinical trials are underway, an unmet need exists to understand the immunological effects of LRT and how they evolve. This study aimed to longitudinally assess immune cell subpopulations and checkpoint expression after LRT. Methods: This prospective, single-center study (DRKS00026994) enrolled 128 consecutive patients with unresectable HCC, who underwent conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE), interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (iBT), or a combination of cTACE and iBT (from July 2020 to September 2021). Peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline, 1 day after LRT, and 2 months after LRT. Immune cells were quantified using spectral flow cytometry. Immune cell subpopulations and checkpoint molecule expression were compared longitudinally and among treatment groups. Cluster analyses were used to explore immune profiles and their relationship with treatment response. Results: Changes in absolute immune cell counts were detected 1 day after LRT, which largely diminished by 2 months. Myeloid populations increased significantly, whereas most lymphoid cells decreased after LRT. However, relative proportions of anti-tumoral CD56 Conclusions: LRT induce an early pro-inflammatory immune response with increased myeloid, CTLA-4 Impact and implications: Combining locoregional therapies (LRT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) aims to enhance immune-mediated anti-tumor effects. However, potential immunological targets remain unknown. Immune profiling could be facilitated as a tool to predict tumor response to LRT and may inform personalized treatment planning, selecting patients who may benefit from an additional ICI therapy. The study's design may guide future investigations to identify the temporal dynamics of immune cell alterations following LRT to identify the appropriate time point to co-administer the ICI application. Clinical trial number: DRKS00026994 (https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00026994).

Indexed as

Flow cytometryImmune phenotypingImmune responseLocoregional therapiesTransarterial chemoembolization

Identifiers

PMID41281444
PMCPMC12637058

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.