Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 to 75

Immunotherapy for Liver Cancer Patients Before Transplantation

Official title: A Prospective, Single-arm Study of Downstaging Protocol Containing Immunotherapy for HCC Beyond the Milan Criteria Before Liver Transplantation

Run by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · NCT05475613 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if a new immunotherapy treatment can help liver cancer patients shrink their tumors enough to qualify for a liver transplant.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 75 Years
SexAll
Enrollment59 (estimated)
SponsorSun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionsimmunotherapy, tislelizumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, lenvatinib
Locations1 site (Guangzhou, Guangdong)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJune 21, 2023
Main results expectedAugust 1, 2027
Study endsAugust 1, 2028
Registry record updatedNovember 29, 2024
Trial IDNCT05475613 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are patients with hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the Milan criteria without extrahepatic metastases or lymph node involvement.

Probably not a fit

Patients with extrahepatic metastases or those who do not meet the inclusion criteria will not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a downstaging protocol that includes immunotherapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who exceed the Milan criteria for liver transplantation. Eligible participants will receive anti-PD-1 inhibitors and other combination therapies over a series of treatment cycles. The study will assess whether these treatments can successfully downstage the cancer to meet the criteria for transplantation. Patients who do not achieve the downstaging criteria after the treatment will be withdrawn from the study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could expand the eligibility for liver transplantation in patients with advanced HCC, potentially improving survival rates.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promising results with downstaging therapies, but this specific approach combining immunotherapy is novel.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Written informed consent must be obtained prior to any screening procedures. Willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plan and laboratory tests.
2. Patients must have pathologically or cytologically or by radiological criteria proven hepatocellular carcinoma based on the AASLD practice guidelines
3. Patients with HCC must be beyond Milan criteria without extrahepatic metastases or lymph node metastases:

   3.1 Patients without previous treatment: Barcelona clinic liver cancer B-C (China liver cancer stage IIb-IIIa) HCC with or without portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT 1-3 according to Japanese Vp classification).

   3.2 Patients with late recurrent HCC: The recurrent HCC must be identified no less than 2 years after primary curative treatment (Resection or Radiofrequency, et al), and the recurrent lesions must be localized in the liver and beyond Milan criteria.

   3.3 Patients with early recurrent HCC: The recurrent HCC must be identified within 2 years after primary curative treatment (R0 resection or radiofrequency, et al), and the primary tumor must be within Milan criteria, and the accumulating tumor burden(Primary tumor plus recurrent tumor) must be beyond Milan criteria.
4. Child-Pugh score≤7, with no encephalopathy. Ascites that diuretics can control are permitted in this study.
5. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Scale for Assessment of Patient Performance Status (PS score) ≤ 2; KPS score ≥60.
6. Have not received any immunotherapies 6 months before enrollment.
7. Adequate bone marrow, liver, and renal function.
8. The estimated survival before liver transplantation must be more than 12 weeks (Based on the Model for end-stage liver disease, MELD).
9. No other lethal malignancy outside the liver in the past 5 years, such as leukemia, lung cancer, melanoma, etc.
10. Patients with a history of hypertension should be well-controlled (\< 140/90 mmHg) on a regimen of anti-hypertensive therapy.
11. Both men and women enrolled in this trial must use adequate barrier birth control measures during the trial and 6 months after the completion of the trial.
12. Patients voluntarily joined the study and signed informed consent with good compliance and follow-up.

Exclusion Criteria

Participants who meet any of the following criteria are not eligible for this study:

1. Histologically/cytologically confirmed cholangiocellular carcinoma, mixed-type liver cancer, or other rare types of liver cancer;
2. Recurrent liver cancer with inadequate initial treatment (i.e., no complete remission or R0 resection);
3. Presence of uncontrollable systemic infections, alcoholism or drug abuse, organic diseases of the heart, lungs, or brain, uncontrolled psychiatric disorders, severe mental illnesses, HIV infection, active tuberculosis, etc.;
4. Presence of severe portal hypertension with a high bleeding risk as assessed by the investigator;
5. History of bleeding events due to portal hypertension in the past 6 months;
6. History of any life-threatening event in the past 6 months, including but not limited to acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accidents, pulmonary embolism, major bleeding from other sites, etc.;
7. Severe splenomegaly or splenomegaly-induced neutropenia (ANC \< 1.5 × 10⁹/L) or thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 50 × 10⁹/L);
8. History of grade III hepatic encephalopathy or clinical symptoms requiring long-term drainage of pleural effusion, ascites, pericardial effusion, etc.;
9. Uncontrolled hypertension, history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy;
10. Severe pulmonary hypertension that cannot be controlled by medication;
11. Severe coagulopathy, or those receiving thrombolytic treatment or requiring continuous anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy for any reason;
12. History of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.;
13. Major surgical procedure within 4 weeks before the first dose; History of severe allergy to any of the study drugs;
14. Female patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
15. Presence of severe psychiatric or psychological disorders.

Where it's running

  • Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
    Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Chao LIU, PhD — Department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
  • Study coordinator: Li PANG, PhD
  • Email: pangli5@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • Phone: +86 13622860325

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • Using serum glycomics to predict liver cancer recurrence after transplantation

    This study is testing whether changes in certain sugars in the blood can help predict if liver cancer will come back in patients who have had a liver transplant.

    Recruiting University Hospital, Ghent · Ghent · NCT05866783

  • InstaSure Non-Invasive Finger-Press Test for HCC

    This study tests a non-invasive finger-skin test to help identify hepatocellular carcinoma in adults.

    Recruiting Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals · Beijing, Beijing Municipality · NCT07848750

  • BGB-B2033 vs Sorafenib or Lenvatinib for advanced liver cancer

    This study tests whether the investigational drug BGB-B2033 can help people with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma when given after prior PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, compared with the standard medicines sorafenib or lenvatinib.

    Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 3 BeOne Medicines · South Brisbane, Queensland and 1 other locations · NCT07836530

  • Zinc add-on with targeted therapy plus immunotherapy for advanced liver cancer

    This study tests whether adding daily zinc to standard targeted therapy and immunotherapy helps people with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Anhui Provincial Hospital · Hefei, Anhui · NCT07793695

  • 68Ga-SorB PET/CT imaging for solid tumors

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    Recruiting Peking University Third Hospital · Beijing, Beijing Municipality · NCT07760012

  • Everolimus-based calcineurin-free immunosuppression one year after liver transplant

    This trial tests whether switching to or using everolimus with reduced calcineurin inhibitors after year one post-liver transplant can protect kidney function while maintaining graft health in adults at low rejection risk.

    Recruiting Phase 3 Hannover Medical School · Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg and 15 other locations · NCT07739914

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.