Failure of Chemotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Due to Impaired and Dysregulated Primary Liver Drug Metabolizing Enzymes and Drug Transport Proteins: What to Do?

Background: Most of the drugs are metabolized in the liver by the action of drug metabolizing enzymes. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), primary drug metabolizing enzymes are severely dysregulated, leading to failure of chemotherapy. Sorafenib is the only standard systemic drug available, but it still presents certain limitations, and much effort is required to understand who is responsive and who is refractory to the drug. Preventive and therapeutic approaches other than systemic chemotherapy include vaccination, chemoprevention, liver transplantation, surgical resection, and locoregional therapies.

Objectives: This review details the dysregulation of primary drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transport proteins of the liver in HCC and their influence on chemotherapeutic drugs. Furthermore, it emphasizes the adoption of safe alternative therapeutic strategies to chemotherapy.

Conclusion: The future of HCC treatment should emphasize on understanding of resistance mechanisms and the finding of novel, safe, and efficacious therapeutic strategies, which will surely benefit patients affected by advanced HCC.