Could an immunotherapy drug tame liver cancer in hepatitis b patients?

NCT ID NCT03419481

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: CCTU Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing the drug pembrolizumab in 30 people with advanced liver cancer linked to hepatitis B. Participants receive pembrolizumab every 3 weeks, and researchers will check how the tumors respond and how the immune system changes. The goal is to see if this immunotherapy can control the cancer and improve survival.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: pembrolizumab
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that pembrolizumab helps shrink tumors or slow progression in people with hepatitis B-related liver cancer.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 30 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Pembrolizumab can cause immune-related side effects, and not all patients may respond.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

hepatocellular carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HCC

Contacts and locations

Locations

Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

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