Deciphering the Immune Microenvironment of Liver Cancer: From Mechanisms to Personalized Medicine

The immune microenvironment of liver cancer plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and response to therapy. Recent advances in single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, along with novel immunocompetent models, have provided deeper insights into the complex interplay between tumor cells, immune cells, and stromal components. This lecture will explore the latest findings on immune evasion mechanisms, tumor-associated macrophages, exhausted T cells, and regulatory networks shaping the liver cancer microenvironment. Additionally, we will discuss the role of liquid biopsy in monitoring immune dynamics and predicting treatment response through circulating tumor DNA, exosomes, and immune cell signatures. These insights are crucial for the development of personalized therapeutic strategies, including immune checkpoint blockade, novel combination therapies, and biomarker-driven approaches, ultimately improving immunotherapy outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma.