The role of c-MET inhibitors in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: now and future

摘要

Hepatocarcinogenesis is a complex biological process associated with several genetic and epigenetic alterations (1). Multiple molecular signaling pathways are critically involved in HCC carcinogenesis, such as Ras mitogen-activated protein kinase (Ras/Raf/MAPK), receptor tyrosine, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Wnt/β-catenin, Janus kinase-signal transducer activator of transcription factor (JAK/STAT), Hedgehog (HH) and Hippo (2). At present, systemic treatment approved for patients with advanced HCC are multitargeted drugs, including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib and cabozantinib, the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) nivolumab and pembrolizumab, and the monoclonal VEGFR2 antibody ramucirumab (3-9).