Translational therapy - New therapies for liver cancer
Translational therapy is a comprehensive approach that involves intervention, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and other methods to reduce tumor burden, create surgical conditions, and enhance the chances of surgical cure.
So, a multidisciplinary team tailored a comprehensive plan combining local intervention therapy and systemic targeted therapy based on Ah Qiang's physical condition. Through precise local tumor targeting through transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), combined with oral targeted drugs to inhibit tumor proliferation throughout the body.
During the treatment period, Aqiang experienced adverse reactions such as fever, body pain, and vomiting from targeted therapy. The team immediately suspended treatment, dynamically evaluated the physical condition, and accurately adjusted the dosage and treatment rhythm.
Two months later, a follow-up examination showed that the tumor had significantly "shrunk", and the two core tumor markers, including alpha fetoprotein and abnormal prothrombin, which had previously exceeded the standard, had all fallen back to the normal range, meeting the criteria for phase transition. The team reevaluates and says, 'Surgery can now be considered.'
Postoperative pathology completely improved, with no recurrence for 53 months
In March 2022, the Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery team performed laparoscopic radical liver cancer surgery on Aqiang, simultaneously removing the gallbladder invaded by the tumor. Postoperative pathology showed no surviving tumor cells in the excised specimen, achieving complete pathological remission (pCR). This means that preoperative conversion therapy has already cleared the liver cancer cells in the body, which is an ideal result of conversion therapy.
Many people think that liver cancer is over after surgery, but it's not, "Ren Qingqi said. For hepatitis B related liver cancer, postoperative hepatitis B management is as important as liver cancer management. Continuous replication of hepatitis B virus will induce new cirrhosis and liver cancer, so antiviral treatment is lifelong.
After the surgery, Aqiang persisted in antiviral treatment, followed up regularly, and completely quit drinking. His lifestyle habits also underwent positive changes. As of August 2026, Aqiang has successfully passed the 53 month follow-up period without any signs of recurrence. From despair to hope, I never thought I could find a way out. I continued to pursue my career, and I am so grateful to the team, "said Aqiang (pseudonym).
The liver is known as the 'silent organ', and early liver cancer rarely presents discomfort symptoms such as pain. Most patients are diagnosed with advanced liver cancer and miss the opportunity for radical surgery. According to relevant data, over 70% of liver cancer patients in China are diagnosed in the middle to late stages.
Translational therapy has opened up a new path for patients in the middle and late stages who cannot undergo direct surgery, "said Zhang Guowei. The 2026 version of the National Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer, released earlier this year, includes "conversion therapy" as the core update content. It clarifies that through targeted, immune, interventional and other comprehensive methods, advanced liver cancer that cannot be surgically removed can be converted into a curative resection state, improving the cure probability and survival prognosis of patients with advanced liver cancer. The update of this concept not only promotes the transformation of surgical decision-making models, but also brings more hope to patients with advanced liver cancer.
转化治疗就是通过介入、靶向、免疫治疗等综合手段，先降低肿瘤负荷，创造手术条件，从而提升手术根治机会。
于是，多学科团队结合阿强的身体状况，量身打造了局部介入治疗联合全身靶向治疗的综合方案，通过经导管动脉化疗栓塞（TACE）精准局部打击肿瘤，同时配合口服靶向药物全身抑制肿瘤增殖。
治疗期间，阿强出现发热、躯体疼痛、呕吐等靶向治疗不良反应，团队第一时间暂停治疗、动态评估身体状态，精准调整用药剂量与治疗节奏。
两个月后，复查显示，肿瘤显著“缩水”，此前大幅超标的甲胎蛋白、异常凝血酶原等两项核心肿瘤标志物指标，也都全部回落至正常范围，达到降期转化标准。团队重新评估，“可以考虑手术了。”
术后病理学完全缓解，53个月无复发
2022年3月，肝胆胰外科团队为阿强实施了腹腔镜肝癌根治术，同步切除受肿瘤侵犯的胆囊。术后病理显示，切除标本中未见存活肿瘤细胞，实现病理学完全缓解（pCR）。这意味着，术前转化治疗已经把体内的肝癌细胞“清零”了，这是转化治疗非常理想的一种结果。
“很多人以为肝癌做完手术就结束了，其实不是。”任庆旗说。对于乙肝相关性肝癌，术后的乙肝管理跟肝癌管理同等重要，乙肝病毒持续复制会诱发新的肝硬化和肝癌，所以抗病毒治疗是终身的。
术后，阿强坚持抗病毒治疗，定期随访，并彻底戒酒，生活习惯也发生积极转变。截至2026年8月，阿强已顺利度过53个月随访期，无复发迹象。“从绝望到希望，没想到我还能拼出一条生路，我继续干我的事业，太感谢团队了。”阿强（化名）说。
肝脏被称为“沉默的器官”，早期肝癌极少出现疼痛等不适症状，多数患者确诊时已进展至中晚期，错失根治性手术机会。相关数据显示，我国超70%的肝癌患者确诊时已是中晚期。
“转化治疗为无法直接手术的中晚期患者开辟了新路径。”张国伟说。今年初发布的2026年版国家原发性肝癌诊疗指南，将“转化治疗”列为核心更新内容，明确通过靶向、免疫、介入等综合手段，可将初始无法手术切除的中晚期肝癌转化为可根治切除状态，提升中晚期肝癌患者的根治概率与生存预后。这一理念的更新，不仅推动了外科手术决策模式的转变，更给中晚期肝癌患者带来了更多希望。
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