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Microwave Ablation Combined with Cellular Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Microwave Ablation Treatment of Solid Tumors
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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver malignancy with a rising incidence. The treatment options for HCC are limited and disappointing mainly due to the high recurrence rate even after radical treatment. The immune system plays a pivotal role in the development of HCC. It usually can protect against the HCC occurrence and development to some extent, as well as against recurrence after surgical resection or thermal ablation treatment. Therefore, many strategies are employed to modulate HCC patients’ immune system for improvement of clinical outcome. Immunotherapy is a relatively new approach for tumor therapy. The aim of immunotherapy is to enhance the natural antitumor immunity of HCC patients, to act against hepatitis or destroy malignantly transformed cells, and to break the immunosuppressive barriers established by HCC. For the management of HCC, thermal ablation techniques including microwave ablation, radiofrequency ablation, and high-intensity focused ultrasound have become increasingly popular. In this chapter, a systematic review is presented, which mainly emphasizes on the efficacy of microwave ablation, combined with immunotherapy for HCC management, including the relationship between the immune system and HCC occurrence, as well as immunoreaction following thermal ablation.

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Abbreviations

CEA:

Carcinoembryonic antigen

CIK:

Cytokine-induced killer

CTL:

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte

DC:

Dendritic cell

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

HSP:

Heat shock protein

MWA:

Microwave ablation

NK:

Natural killer cells

RFA:

Radiofrequency ablation

RFS:

Recurrence-free survival

SEC:

Staphylococcal enterotoxin C

TACE:

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

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Correspondence to Ping Liang MD .

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Yu, Ma., Liang, P. (2015). Microwave Ablation Combined with Cellular Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. In: Liang, P., Yu, Xl., Yu, J. (eds) Microwave Ablation Treatment of Solid Tumors. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9315-5_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9315-5_14

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