Trial design and end points in hepatocellular carcinoma: an EASL–AASLD–ILCA consensus statement

The management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has undergone radical change over the past decade. Immunotherapies now dominate the treatment of advanced-stage disease and are increasingly being evaluated in perioperative and intermediate-stage settings. However, in some instances, positive phase III trials have not translated into adoption by guidelines or regulatory agencies, highlighting the need to harmonize and update the current standards for trial design and end points. In response to these challenges, four scientific societies — the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) — appointed representatives to develop a consensus recommendations document addressing current unmet needs and future challenges in HCC trial design and end points. Through a modified Delphi process, 102 consensus statements were developed across several distinct domains: surveillance; early-stage, intermediate-stage and advanced-stage disease; transplant-related contexts; regulatory considerations; and emerging topics. The document rigorously defines target populations, stratification factors, control arms and benchmarks for expected clinical benefit. Collectively, this consensus is intended to provide a dynamic, evidence-based, multisociety roadmap for optimizing trial design, accelerating therapeutic development and improving clinically meaningful outcomes in patients with HCC.