Dr. Finn on Recent Advances in the Treatment of Liver Cancer

Richard S. Finn, MD, associate professor of Medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, discusses both recent advances in the treatment of patients with liver cancer, as well as the future role that immunotherapy stands to have in this field.

Oncologists have learned a substantial amount about clinical trial design and the natural history of liver cancer over the past decade or so, says Finn. These advances have led to a higher level of interest in this cancer type, especially as a pathway to drug development.

Moreover, there has been some recent evidence suggesting a potential role for immunotherapy in the treatment of this disease. Recent data with nivolumab (Opdivo) demonstrated that patients have had both significant and durable responses. There is quite a lot of hope and excitement for what is to come in the future with immunotherapy, says Finn.