Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40764998›Full record

ReviewJournal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR2025

Targeting tumor-associated macrophages to overcome immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Fen Liu, Xianying Li, Yiming Zhang, Shan Ge, Zhan Shi, Qingbin Liu, Shulong Jiang

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  12. [Heterogeneity of tumor-associated macrophages and precision targeting strategies in hepatocellular carcinoma].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2026
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Frontiers in immunology · 2026
    Article
  17. Review
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  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Fen Liu *College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250000, China.
Xianying Li *Clinical Medical Laboratory Center, Jining First People's Hospital, Shandong First Medical University, Jining, 272000, China.
Yiming ZhangCollege of First Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250000, China.
Shan GeInstitute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
Zhan ShiInstitute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
Qingbin LiuClinical Medical Laboratory Center, Jining First People's Hospital, Shandong First Medical University, Jining, 272000, China. jnmclqb@mail.jnmc.edu.cn.
Shulong JiangClinical Medical Laboratory Center, Jining First People's Hospital, Shandong First Medical University, Jining, 272000, China. jnsljiang@163.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82074360
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a critical global health concern, particularly in regions with high endemicity of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for advanced HCC. Despite encouraging results, primary and acquired resistance to ICIs continues to pose significant challenges in clinical practice. Recent research has identified tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as key contributors to immune evasion and ICI resistance in HCC, primarily through polarization to the M2 phenotype. M2-polarized TAMs secrete a range of immunosuppressive cytokines that inhibit T cell activation and promote tumor progression through processes such as angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These mechanisms compromise the efficacy of ICIs and facilitate tumor expansion and metastasis. This review summarizes the role of TAM-related signaling pathways in driving immune evasion and ICI resistance in HCC, with particular emphasis on the contribution of TAM surface receptors and chemokines in immune suppression. Additionally, the review highlights emerging insights into TAM metabolic reprogramming and transcriptional regulation, which have been closely linked to ICI resistance. Furthermore, we explore promising therapeutic strategies targeting TAMs and their associated signaling pathways to enhance ICI efficacy in HCC. Integrating these novel approaches could potentially overcome TAM-driven immune evasion and ICI resistance, boosting the efficacy of immunotherapy and improving patient prognosis in HCC.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularDrug Resistance, NeoplasmImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsLiver NeoplasmsTumor-Associated MacrophagesAnimalsHumansImmunotherapyImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsHepatocellular carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitors resistanceImmunotherapyTumor-associated macrophagesTumor immune microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40764998
PMCPMC12323087

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.