Topics and Trends in Most Cited Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis research in the Class of 2026?

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, and sorafenib anchor the Class of 2026 HCC cohort, with combination immunotherapy, CTLA-4 inhibition, and locoregional-surgical themes co-prominent. From Class of 2025 to 2026, durvalumab–tremelimumab and pembrolizumab rose sharply while transarterial chemoembolization and VEGF inhibition receded among top-cited work.

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At a glance

Field
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
8,598
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor, sorafenib, combination immunotherapy, CTLA-4 inhibition
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
43–197
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 8,598
19718m citations

Precision treatment in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Xupeng Yang et al.Cancer Cell202410.1016/j.ccell.2024.01.007

CorrespondingJia Fan, Cun Wang, Qiang GaoInstitutionFudan University, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaPrecision medicineAdvanced hepatocellular carcinomaTargeted therapyBiomarkermolecular subtypessorafeniblenvatinibImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorTumor microenvironmentGenomicsVEGF signaling pathwaymTOR pathwayTERT promoter mutationTP53 mutationCTNNB1 mutationMET amplificationFGF19 amplificationSystemic therapyCombination therapyatezolizumabbevacizumabpatient stratificationPredictive biomarkertumor mutational burdenmicrosatellite instabilitynext-generation sequencingclinical outcomes
#2 of 8,598
17018m citations

Four-year overall survival update from the phase III HIMALAYA study of tremelimumab plus durvalumab in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

B Sangro et al.Annals of Oncology202410.1016/j.annonc.2024.02.005

CorrespondingB. SangroInstitutionClínica Universidad de Navarra, Spain

Unresectable hepatocellular carcinomaHIMALAYA studyDurvalumab plus tremelimumabtremelimumabdurvalumabsorafenibOverall survivalPhase III clinical trialImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyCTLA-4 inhibitionPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorcombination immunotherapyLong-term survival4-year overall survivalhazard ratiodisease controlTreatment-related adverse eventssubsequent anticancer therapyFirst-line treatmentNoninferiority trialsafety profilesubgroup analysisRandomized controlled trialsurvival ratelate-onset safety signalsclinically relevant subgroupsmedian follow-upSystemic therapyhepatocellular carcinoma subgroups
#3 of 8,598
14418m citations

Systemic Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: ASCO Guideline Update

John D Gordan et al.Journal of Clinical Oncology202410.1200/jco.23.02745

CorrespondingJohn D GordanInstitutionUniversity of California, San Francisco, United States

Hepatocellular carcinomaAdvanced hepatocellular carcinomaSystemic therapyAtezolizumab plus bevacizumabDurvalumab plus tremelimumabsorafeniblenvatinibnivolumab + ipilimumabpembrolizumabnivolumabdurvalumabcabozantinibregorafenibramucirumabTyrosine kinase inhibitorImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyalpha-fetoproteinChild-Pugh classPerformance statusFirst-line treatmentSecond-line therapythird-line therapyRandomized controlled trialASCO guidelineClinical practice guidelinesPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorCTLA-4 inhibitionVEGF inhibitionliver diseasesystematic review
#4 of 8,598
13118m citations

Nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) vs lenvatinib (LEN) or sorafenib (SOR) as first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC): First results from CheckMate 9DW.

Peter R. Galle et al.Journal of Clinical Oncology202410.1200/jco.2024.42.17_suppl.lba4008

CorrespondingPeter R. GalleInstitutionUniversity Medical Center Mainz, Germany

nivolumabipilimumablenvatinibsorafenibUnresectable hepatocellular carcinomaFirst-line treatmentCheckMate 9DWOverall survivalObjective response rateDuration of responsePD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorCTLA-4 inhibitionimmune checkpoint inhibitor combinationphase 3 randomized clinical trialRECIST 1.1blinded independent central reviewComplete responseTreatment-related adverse eventsChild-Pugh classPerformance statusCheckMate 040PD-L1 expressionstandard of careinterim analysishazard ratioDurable responseCurative surgeryLocoregional therapyProgressive diseaseaccelerated approval
#5 of 8,598
12118m citations

EMERALD-1: A phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled study of transarterial chemoembolization combined with durvalumab with or without bevacizumab in participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma eligible for embolization.

Riccardo Lencioni et al.Journal of Clinical Oncology202410.1200/jco.2024.42.3_suppl.lba432

CorrespondingRiccardo LencioniInstitutionUniversity of Pisa, Italy

Hepatocellular carcinomaUnresectable hepatocellular carcinomaTransarterial chemoembolizationdurvalumabbevacizumabImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyVEGF inhibitionProgression-free survivalOverall survivalObjective response rateTime to progressionBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingembolization-eligible HCCproinflammatory tumor microenvironmentVEGF signaling pathwayPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitordrug-eluting bead TACEChild-Pugh classPerformance statusRECIST 1.1blinded independent central reviewPhase III clinical trialPlacebo-controlled trialTreatment-related adverse eventshazard ratiostandard of careExtrahepatic metastasisTumor microenvironmentICI-based combination therapy
#6 of 8,598
9118m citations

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody/tyrosine kinase inhibitors with or without transarterial chemoembolization as first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (CHANCE2201): a target trial emulation study

Zhi-Cheng Jin et al.EClinicalMedicine202410.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102622

CorrespondingGao‐Jun Teng, Gao-Jun TengInstitutionSoutheast University, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaTransarterial chemoembolizationImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyVEGF inhibitionTyrosine kinase inhibitorvascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)First-line treatmentAdvanced hepatocellular carcinomatarget trial emulationInverse probability of treatment weightingOverall survivalProgression-free survivalObjective response rateRECIST 1.1Modified RECIST (mRECIST)TACE-ICI-VEGF combination therapyretrospective cohort studyMulticenter studyhazard ratioAdverse eventscombination immunotherapyLocoregional therapySystemic therapytumor responsesafety profilecausal inference methodsobservational study design
#7 of 8,598
8718m citations

Portal Venous and Hepatic Arterial Coefficients Predict Post-Hepatectomy Overall and Recurrence-Free Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study

Yu-Kai Li, Song Wu, Yu-Shan Wu, Wei-Hu Zhang, Yan Wang, Yue-Hua Li, Qiang Kang, Song-Quan Huang et al.Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma202410.2147/jhc.s462168

CorrespondingYu-Kai Li, Song Wu, Yu-Shan Wu, Wei-Hu Zhang, Yan Wang, Yue-Hua Li, Qiang Kang, Song-Quan HuangInstitutionKunming Medical University, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaHepatectomyportal venous coefficienthepatic arterial coefficientOverall survivalRecurrence-free survivalMultiphasic CTTumor vascularityportal venous blood supplyhepatic arterial blood supplyBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingalpha-fetoproteinR0 hepatectomyLASSO regressionCox proportional hazards modelPrognostic biomarkerpostoperative prognosisSerum albumintotal bilirubinretrospective studyhepatic perfusion imagingALBI gradehazard ratioRecurrence predictionTumor stagingCT perfusionsurgical oncology outcomestumor microenvironment vasculature
#8 of 8,598
7918m citations

The #HOPE4LIVER Single-Arm Pivotal Trial for Histotripsy of Primary and Metastatic Liver Tumors

Luigi Solbiati, Timothy J Ziemlewicz et al.Radiology202410.1148/radiol.233051

CorrespondingLuigi Solbiati, Timothy J. ZiemlewiczInstitutionHumanitas University & Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital IRCCS, Italy

histotripsyliver tumorsprimary liver tumorsmetastatic liver tumorsHistoSonics Systemnon-thermal ablationmechanical tissue destructionfocused ultrasoundSingle-arm trialHOPE4LIVER trialAblation therapyhepatic oncologynon-invasive tumor treatmentultrasound-based therapytechnical successsafety outcomespooled clinical trials
#9 of 8,598
7418m citations

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy vs Sorafenib Alone in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Laura A Dawson et al.JAMA Oncology202410.1001/jamaoncol.2024.5403

CorrespondingLaura A. DawsonInstitutionUniversity Health Network-Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada

Hepatocellular carcinomalocally advanced hepatocellular carcinomaStereotactic body radiotherapysorafenibMacrovascular invasionOverall survivalProgression-free survivalphase 3 randomized clinical trialFirst-line treatmentliver functionLocoregional therapyTreatment-related adverse eventsQuality of lifehazard ratioLiver failurePerformance statusMetastatic tumorsMulticenter studyRadiotherapy fractionationSystemic therapyearly trial terminationstandard-of-care systemic therapyGrade 3 or higher adverse eventsstratification factorsCombination therapy
#10 of 8,598
6918m citations

Pharmacogenomic profiling of intra-tumor heterogeneity using a large organoid biobank of liver cancer

Hui Yang et al.Cancer Cell202410.1016/j.ccell.2024.03.004

CorrespondingJiangong Zhang, Jianmin Wu, Ning ZhangInstitutionPeking University First Hospital, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaintra-tumor heterogeneityinter-tumor heterogeneityPatient-derived organoidOrganoid biobankpharmacogenomic profilingdrug sensitivity screeningPrecision medicinelenvatinib resistancec-JunJNK signalingWnt/β-catenin signaling pathwaymulti-gene expression signaturespatient stratificationgenomic landscapetranscriptomic characteristicsCombination therapyveratraminePKUF-01Drug synergyPredictive biomarkerdrug response predictionhistopathology recapitulationbiomarker panelstumor heterogeneity landscapeclinically relevant drugsIn vivo modelsc-Jun inhibitor
#11 of 8,598
6918m citations

Adjuvant sintilimab in resected high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomized, controlled, phase 2 trial

Kang Wang, Yan-Jun Xiang, Hong-Ming Yu, Yu-Qiang Cheng, Zong-Han Liu et al.Nature Medicine202410.1038/s41591-023-02786-7

CorrespondingShuqun ChengInstitutionEastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, China

sintilimabHepatocellular carcinomaadjuvant therapyresected hepatocellular carcinomaHigh-risk HCCPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyRandomized controlled trialPhase 2 clinical trialHepatectomyRecurrence-free survivalOverall survivalpostoperative adjuvant immunotherapyTumor recurrence
#12 of 8,598
6618m citations

Trends in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mortality Rates in the US and Projections Through 2040

Sikai Qiu et al.JAMA Network Open202410.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.45525

CorrespondingFanpu Ji, Mindie H. NguyenInstitutionThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaage-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs)Alcoholic liver diseaseMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)Hepatitis C virus infectionHepatitis B virus infectionliver cancer mortalityJoinpoint regressionProphet modelingAutoARIMA modelingmortality projectionsNational Vital Statistics Systemcross-sectional studyannual percentage changeEtiology of liver diseaseracial and ethnic disparitiesAmerican Indian or Alaska Native populationage stratificationsex differences in HCC mortalityHCC incidenceepidemiologic trendspublic health decision-makingHigh-risk population identificationCenters for Disease Control and Preventionliver cancer burdenmortality trend analysisHCC-related death projections through 2040metabolic liver disease-associated HCCalcohol-related HCC
#13 of 8,598
6418m citations

Histological predictors of aggressive recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection

Carla Fuster-Anglada et al.Journal of Hepatology202410.1016/j.jhep.2024.06.018

CorrespondingAlba Díaz, Alejandro FornerInstitutionHospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain

Hepatocellular carcinomaHepatectomyaggressive recurrenceHCC histological featuresTumor recurrenceMicrovascular invasiontumor differentiationSurgical marginssatellite nodulestumor sizeBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingalpha-fetoproteinCirrhosistumor gradeearly recurrencelate recurrenceRecurrence-free survivalOverall survivalhistopathologyPrognostic biomarkertumor morphology
#14 of 8,598
6118m citations

Intention-to-treat outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma receiving immunotherapy before liver transplant: The multicenter VITALITY study

Parissa Tabrizian et al.Journal of Hepatology202410.1016/j.jhep.2024.09.003

CorrespondingParissa TabrizianInstitutionIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States

Hepatocellular carcinomaliver transplantationImmunotherapyIntention-to-treat analysisMulticenter studyVITALITY studybridging therapyDownstagingImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapywaitlist outcomesTransplant outcomesAllograft rejectionPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitortumor responseMilan criteriatransplant eligibilityRecurrence-free survivalOverall survivalNeoadjuvant immunotherapygraft-versus-host diseaseimmunosuppressionalpha-fetoproteindropout ratewaitlist mortality
#15 of 8,598
5818m citations

Pathological response following neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a cross-trial, patient-level analysis

Antonio D'Alessio et al.The Lancet Oncology202410.1016/s1470-2045(24)00457-1

CorrespondingDavid J. PinatoInstitutionImperial College London, United Kingdom

Hepatocellular carcinomaNeoadjuvant immunotherapyPathological responseMajor pathological responsePathologic complete responsetumour regressionHepatectomyrelapse-free survivalneoadjuvant therapyICI combinationsRECIST 1.1Radiologic responseBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingportal vein thrombosisviral chronic liver diseasecross-trial patient-level analysispooled analysisphase 1 and 2 clinical trialsNeoHCC consortiumsurrogate endpointrecursive partitioningtumour regression threshold90% tumour regression cutoff70% tumour regression cutoffPerformance statusLI-RADSsurgical resection specimennon-viable tumour percentagehazard ratio
#16 of 8,598
5218m citations

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma previously treated with sorafenib: 5-year results from CheckMate 040

I Melero et al.Annals of Oncology202410.1016/j.annonc.2024.03.005

CorrespondingIgnacio MeleroInstitutionClinica Universidad de Navarra, Spain

Hepatocellular carcinomanivolumabipilimumabcombination immunotherapysorafenibCheckMate 040PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorCTLA-4 inhibitionImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyObjective response rateDuration of responseOverall survivalSecond-line therapyAdvanced hepatocellular carcinomaImmune-related adverse eventsRECIST 1.1long-term survival benefitDurable responsesafety and tolerabilitylandmark analysisrandomized cohortSorafenib-experienced5-year follow-updose regimen optimizationimmune-oncology combination therapy
#17 of 8,598
5218m citations

Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Recurrent Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Randomized, Open-Label, Controlled Trial

Mian Xi et al.Journal of Clinical Oncology202410.1200/jco-24-01532

CorrespondingMian XiInstitutionGuangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, China

Hepatocellular carcinomarecurrent hepatocellular carcinomaradiofrequency ablationStereotactic body radiotherapylocal progression-free survivalProgression-free survivalOverall survivalLocal control rateSmall hepatocellular carcinomaRandomized controlled trialAblation therapyradiation therapyhazard ratioAdverse eventsTumor recurrencesingle lesionLocoregional therapyEfficacySafetyopen-label trialacute adverse eventsLong-term adverse events2-year local progression-free survival rateHCC ≤5 cmfollow-upliver cancer treatment
#18 of 8,598
4918m citations

APASL clinical practice guidelines on systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma-2024

George Lau et al.Hepatology International202410.1007/s12072-024-10732-z

CorrespondingGeorge LauInstitutionFudan University, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaSystemic therapyClinical practice guidelinesAPASLsorafeniblenvatinibAtezolizumab plus bevacizumabDurvalumab plus tremelimumabImmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyTyrosine kinase inhibitorFirst-line treatmentSecond-line therapyBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingChild-Pugh classOverall survivalProgression-free survivalObjective response rateHepatitis B virus infectionHepatitis C virus infectionCirrhosisregorafenibcabozantinibramucirumabnivolumabpembrolizumabVEGF signaling pathwayPD-L1 expressionbiomarker selectioncombination immunotherapyAdverse event management
#19 of 8,598
4518m citations

Biomarkers and prognostic factors of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Nan Zhang, Xu Yang, Mingjian Piao, Ziyu Xun et al.Biomarker Research202410.1186/s40364-023-00535-z

CorrespondingHanping WangInstitutionPeking Union Medical College Hospital, China

Hepatocellular carcinomaPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorPD-L1 expressionTumor microenvironmentTumor-infiltrating lymphocytesstimulatory dendritic cellsconventional dendritic cellstumor-associated macrophagesSingle-cell RNA sequencingspatial transcriptomicsTumor heterogeneitynext-generation sequencingtumor mutational burdencopy number alterationsTP53CTNNB1GZMBWnt/β-catenin signaling pathwayChild-Pugh classPerformance statusTGF-β signalingLactate dehydrogenase (LDH)alpha-fetoproteinDes-gamma-carboxyprothrombinCRAFITY scoreliquid biopsygut microbiomeEOB-MRIPET/CT
#20 of 8,598
4318m citations

Survival Outcomes Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Large Integrated US Health System

Mignote Yilma et al.JAMA Network Open202410.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35066

CorrespondingNeil Mehta, Nizar A. MukhtarInstitutionUniversity of California, San Francisco, United States

Hepatocellular carcinomaCirrhosisall-cause mortalityHCC mortalityBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stagingalpha-fetoproteinCurative treatmentnoncurative treatmentsurvival outcomesKaplan-Meier methodCox proportional hazards modelretrospective cohort studyCancer surveillanceearly-stage HCCIntegrated health care systemracial and ethnic disparitiesAsian or Pacific Islanderage at diagnosissex differences in HCC outcomesdiagnosis era trendsadjusted hazard ratiooncologic mortalityHCC etiologyMultivariable analysistreatment typetemporal survival trendspatient demographic characteristicsTumor staging
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/hepatocellular-carcinoma-treatment-and-prognosis/2026. Accessed 2026-07-13.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Source data

The full ranking corpus and analysis files are openly available on an external repository. Please cite the dataset below when reusing this data.

View source dataset

PRI Team (2026). PRI results: HCC Treatment and Prognosis (T10073) — Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 cohorts. Figshare. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.32902769