Dendritic cell therapy -
Liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma / HCC)
Traditional treatment methods & modern immunotherapies
Liver cancer usually develops on the basis of a chronic liver disease, e.g. fatty liver, hepatitis B/C or liver cirrhosis.
Because symptoms often appear late, the disease is often only diagnosed in advanced stages in many patients.
Treatment therefore requires precise diagnostics, interdisciplinary planning and often a combination of several forms of therapy.
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Classic treatment options for liver cancer
1. Operation (resection)
If the tumor is detected early and liver function is still good, the affected part of the liver can be removed.
Goal: complete tumor removal while preserving sufficient liver function.
2. Liver transplantation
In certain cases (e.g., Milan criteria), a liver transplant may be the best option.
It completely removes the tumor and the damaged liver.
3. Local ablative procedures
These methods destroy tumor tissue in a targeted manner without burdening the entire liver:
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
Microwave ablation (MWA)
Ethanol injection (PEI)
Irreversible electroporation (IRE)
They are often used for small tumors.
4. TACE – Transarterial chemoembolization
In cases of locally advanced tumors, chemotherapy is administered directly into the tumor via the hepatic artery, and the blood flow is then blocked.
This allows the drug to remain in the tumor for longer, while sparing healthy liver tissue.
5. Systemic therapies (tablets and infusions)
For advanced or metastatic liver cancer, modern targeted drugs and immunotherapies are available.
Targeted therapies:
Sorafenib
Lenvatinib
Regorafenib
Immune checkpoint inhibitors:
Nivolumab
Pembrolizumab
Combinations of anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF drugs (e.g., atezolizumab + bevacizumab)
These therapies are now standard in many treatment regimens.
Dendritic cell therapy – an immunological approach to liver cancer
Dendritic cell therapy (DZT) is a personalized immunotherapy that specifically activates the body's own immune system.
Dendritic cells are the most important antigen-presenting cells.
They “train” T cells to better recognize and attack cancer cells.
Procedure of dendritic cell therapy
Patient's blood draw
Isolation of monocytes
Cultivation and differentiation into dendritic cells
Loading with tumor antigens (e.g., tumor lysate)
Maturation into functional immune cells
Cells are returned via intradermal injection
This antigen presentation enables T cells to develop a targeted immune response against tumor cells.
DZT as a complement to classic liver cancer therapy
Dendritic cell therapy is often used as a complementary therapy, especially:
accompanying TACE or ablation procedures
after local therapies to improve immune surveillance
in systemic therapies for immune stabilization
in patients who desire immunological supplementation
Possible combinations:
• DZT + TACE
Local tumor destruction provides additional tumor antigens that the immune system can use.
• DZT + Systemic Therapy
DZT can increase the diversity of activated T cells.
• DZT + Immune-boosting infusions
e.g. E.g. glutathione, resveratrol, artesunate, selenium
→ support the immune system during stress caused by chemotherapy, TACE or tumor progression.
Goals of DZT in liver cancer
Activation of specific T cells
Improvement of immune surveillance (surveillance)
Supporting traditional therapies
Stabilization of the immune system
Additional option to improve quality of life
The reaction is individual and depends on tumor stage, liver function and immune status.
Dendritic cell therapy is a patient-specific immunological approach.
No promises of healing are made.