How liver disease affects immune cells and their response to cancer treatment in liver cancer

Liver disease impact on myeloid cells driving immunotherapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

NIH-funded research University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11055035

This study is looking at how liver disease affects the success of immunotherapy for patients with liver cancer, focusing on certain immune cells that might make it harder for the body to fight the cancer, and it hopes to find better treatment options by combining immunotherapy with other medicines.

Quick facts

Grant typeCareer grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Francisco NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Francisco, United States)
Project IDNIH-11055035 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how liver disease impacts the effectiveness of immunotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study focuses on specific immune cells known as CD14CTX myeloid cells, which may hinder the body's immune response against cancer. Researchers will analyze these cells using advanced techniques to understand their role in treatment resistance and explore how combining immunotherapy with other medications might improve patient outcomes. By examining patient samples and tumor characteristics, the research aims to uncover new strategies to enhance treatment efficacy.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who also have liver disease.

Not a fit: Patients without liver disease or those with other types of cancer may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved immunotherapy treatments for patients with liver cancer, particularly those with underlying liver disease.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown promising results in understanding immune responses in cancer, making this approach both relevant and potentially impactful.

Where this research is happening

San Francisco, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions anti-cancer immunotherapyanti-cancer therapyanticancer immunotherapyBiliary Tract Cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.