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Targeting Ischemia-Induced Autophagy Dependence in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most commonly used therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TACE is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing a catheter into the artery in the liver that feeds the tumor, administering chemotherapeutics and then blocking the artery with embolics in order to kill tumor cells by depriving them of essential oxygen and nutrients. While TACE has a proven survival benefit, local recurrence is common, and long-term survival rates are poor. Prior studies demonstrate that HCC cells survive the oxygen and nutrient deprivation through autophagy, a process of cellular self-eating, to provide nutrients required for survival. The proposed project will leverage this dependency to develop a novel approach to TACE that integrates autophagy inhibition to improve therapeutic response by increasing tumor cell killing and enhancing anti-tumor immunity.
Official title: Targeting Ischemia-Induced Autophagy Dependence in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Image-guided Locoregional Therapy
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
93
Start Date
2026-02-01
Completion Date
2030-10-15
Last Updated
2026-01-22
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxychloroquine to be administered intra-arterially at time of transarterial embolization as well as orally for 6 weeks following the procedure
Lipiodol
Lipiodol is an FDA-approved drug delivered agent and embolic which is administered as standard of care for transarterial embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma. Lipiodol will be administered intra-arterially in both arms at the time of procedure.
Placebo
Placebo will be administered orally for 6 weeks following the procedure to patients in arm 2
Locations (1)
Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States