Why immunotherapy works less well for NASH-related liver cancer
Determinants of immunotherapy response in NASH-Hepatocellular carcinoma
This project tests whether adding drugs that block KIT/MAPK/Wnt pathways to immunotherapy helps people with NASH-related liver cancer respond better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144259 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are studying why liver cancer that develops from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) often resists immune-based treatments and whether combining immunotherapy with drugs that target KIT/MAPK/Wnt signaling can overcome that resistance. The team will use patient tumor samples, gene signatures, 3D cell cultures, and animal models to study immune cell behavior and identify biomarkers linked to response. They will look for molecular markers in biopsies and blood that predict who might benefit from combination therapies. The goal is to find measurable tests and treatment combinations that could be taken into early clinical testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with hepatocellular carcinoma caused by NASH, especially those eligible for systemic immunotherapy and willing to provide biopsy or blood samples.
Not a fit: Patients with liver cancer from non-NASH causes or those unable to receive immunotherapy or pathway-targeting drugs may not benefit from the specific strategies studied here.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new combination therapies and biomarkers that help more people with NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma respond to immunotherapy.
How similar studies have performed: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab already improves survival in HCC, but adding KIT/MAPK/Wnt blockers for NASH-HCC is a newer, largely experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Llovet, Josep M — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Llovet, Josep M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.