University of Hong Kong researchers said they've developed a new treatment strategy for liver cancer after enrolling 33 patients with large tumours in a three-year study.

The research team said according to past experience, only ten percent of patients could be completely cured using conventional treatment methods, while around 70 percent of patients were unable to undergo surgery due to the sheer size of their tumours.

However, the experts said their new three-step approach – which combines radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy – can effectively reduce the size of the tumours in 55 percent of the patients, making it possible for them to undergo surgery.

Some were even completely cured as a result of complete tumour necrosis.

Clinical professor Albert Chan, who led the study, said the new approach significantly increases patients' chances of survival.

"Conventionally, we only use one single treatment modality to treat inoperable liver cancer. The response rate is about 10 percent... but now we combine three treatment modalities, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy," Chan said.

"We can enhance the successful rate of treating inoperable liver cancer by up to 50 percent."

Chan said while the treatment has already been adopted at public hospitals for those with relatively good liver function, it may be expanded in the future to benefit more patients.