# 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.

*PRI Rank #4 · Topics and Trends in Most Cited Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis Papers, Class of 2026*

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/hepatocellular-carcinoma-treatment-and-prognosis/2026/rank-4*

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Rank | #4 |
| 18m citations | 131 |
| Journal | Journal of Clinical Oncology |
| Year | 2024 |
| DOI | 10.1200/jco.2024.42.17_suppl.lba4008 |
| Corresponding authors | Peter R. Galle |
| Institution | University Medical Center Mainz, Germany |

**Ranking page:** [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)

**Paper link:** [10.1200/jco.2024.42.17_suppl.lba4008](https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2024.42.17_suppl.lba4008)

## Topics

nivolumab · ipilimumab · lenvatinib · sorafenib · Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma · First-line treatment · CheckMate 9DW · Overall survival · Objective response rate · Duration of response · PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor · CTLA-4 inhibition · immune checkpoint inhibitor combination · phase 3 randomized clinical trial · RECIST 1.1 · blinded independent central review · Complete response · Treatment-related adverse events · Child-Pugh class · Performance status · CheckMate 040 · PD-L1 expression · standard of care · interim analysis · hazard ratio · Durable response · Curative surgery · Locoregional therapy · Progressive disease · accelerated approval

## 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 2026-07-14.

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
```