Sierra L, Abu-Hammour MN, Chatterjee A, Simons-Linares CR. Obesity paradox role in the immunosuppressive treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(19): 105617 [PMID: 40497086 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i19.105617]
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Submitted on:
May 25, 2025, 08:05
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Reader Comments:
This article explores the role of the "obesity paradox" in immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), suggesting that obese patients may experience better survival outcomes when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors such as lenvatinib and camrelizumab. Based on recent clinical findings, the authors discuss leptin-mediated immune modulation as a possible mechanism, noting that obesity may enhance the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapies but potentially reduce the effectiveness of anti-VEGF treatments. While the topic is novel and clinically relevant, the current evidence remains limited and the mechanistic explanation could be more detailed. Overall, the article provides a valuable perspective on the dual role of obesity in HCC immunotherapy and highlights the need for further research in this area.
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Reader's ID:
03721258
Submitted on:
May 21, 2025, 12:37
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Reader Comment Standards for Published Articles:
1 Title
Does the title reflect the main subject/hypothesis of the manuscript?
2 Abstract
Does the abstract summarize and reflect the work described in the manuscript?
3 Key Words
Do the key words reflect the focus of the manuscript?
4 Background
Does the manuscript adequately describe the background, present status and significance of the study?
5 Methods
Does the manuscript describe methods (e.g., experiments, data analysis, surveys, and clinical trials, etc.) in adequate detail?
6 Results
Are the research objectives achieved by the experiments used in this study?
Has the study made meaningful contributions towards research progress in this field?
7 Discussion
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Are the findings and their applicability/relevance to the literature stated in a clear and definite manner?
Is the Discussion accurate and does it discuss the paper’s scientific significance and/or relevance to clinical practice sufficiently?
8 Illustrations and Tables
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Do figures require labeling with arrows, asterisks, etc., or better legends?
9 Biostatistics
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11 References
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Does the author self-cite, omit, incorrectly cite and/or over-cite references?
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Are the style, language and grammar accurate and appropriate?
13 Ethics statements
For all manuscripts involving human studies and/or animal experiments, author(s) must submit the related formal ethics documents that were reviewed and approved by their local ethical review committee. Did the manuscript meet the requirements of ethics?
Scientific Quality:
The overall quality of the manuscript, based on the above-listed criteria, should be evaluated and classified according to the following five categories
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Language quality (style, grammar, and spelling) should be evaluated and classified according to the following five categories.
Reader Comments:
The “obesity paradox” in hepatocellular carcinoma suggests better outcomes in patients with obesity undergoing immunotherapy, potentially due to leptin-driven immune modulation and enhanced nutritional reserves. While promising, these findings have only been demonstrated with lenvatinib and camrelizumab, and have not yet been observed with more commonly used immunotherapy treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma, such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, or bevacizumab. Although intriguing, this phenomenon remains limited by the scope of current studies
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