Prognostic factors and predictors of sorafenib benefit in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Analysis of two phase III studies

Potential of Lenvatinib for an Expanded Indication from the REFLECT Trial in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib and verify the possibility of lenvatinib for the expanded indication from the REFLECT trial in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in real-world practice, primarily focusing on the population that was excluded in the REFLECT trial.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data on patients with advanced HCC who were administered lenvatinib in 7 institutions in Japan.

RESULTS

Of 152 advanced HCC patients, 95 and 57 patients received lenvatinib in first-line and second- or later-line systemic therapies, respectively. The median progression-free survival in Child-Pugh class A patients was nearly equal between first- and second- or later-line therapies (5.2 months; 95% CI 3.7-6.9 for first line, 4.8 months; 95% CI 3.8-5.9 for second or later line, p = 0.933). According to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, the objective response rate of 27 patients (18%) who showed a high burden of intrahepatic lesions (i.e., main portal vein and/or bile duct invasion or 50% or higher liver occupation) at baseline radiological assessment was 41% and similar with that of other population. The present study included 20 patients (13%) with Child-Pugh class B. These patients observed high frequency rates of liver function-related adverse events due to lenvatinib. The 8-week dose intensity of lenvatinib had a strong correlation with liver function according to both the Child-Pugh and albumin - bilirubin scores.

CONCLUSION

Lenvatinib had potential benefits for patients with advanced HCC with second- or later-line therapies and a high burden of intrahepatic lesions. Dose modification should be paid increased attention among patients with poor liver function, such as Child-Pugh class B patients.

Optimizing Sequential Systemic Therapies for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Decision Analysis

Background: An optimal sequential systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been discovered. We developed a decision model based on available clinical trials to identify an optimal risk/benefit strategy for sequences of novel systemic agents. Methods: A Markov model was built to simulate overall survival (OS) among patients with advanced HCC. Three first-line (single-agent Sorafenib or Lenvatinib, and combination of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab) followed by five second-line treatments (Regorafenib, Cabozantinib, Ramucirumab, Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab) were compared in fifteen sequential strategies. The likelihood of transition between states (initial treatment, cancer progression, death) was derived from clinical trials. Life-year gained (LYG) was the main outcome. Rates of severe adverse events (SAEs) (≥grade 3) were calculated. The innovative measure, called incremental safety-effectiveness ratio (ISER), of the two best sequential treatments was calculated as the difference in probability of SAEs divided by LYG. Results: Lenvatinib followed by Nivolumab (median OS, 27 months) was the most effective sequence, producing a LYG of 0.75, while Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab followed by Nivolumab was the safest sequence (SAEs 40%). Accordingly, the net health benefit assessed by ISER favored Lenvatinib followed by Nivolumab, compared to Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab, followed by Nivolumab in 52% of cases. Conclusion: Further sequential clinical trials or large-scale real-world studies may prove useful to evaluate the net health benefit of the best sequential treatment for advanced HCC.

The PPRD score stratifies patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumor thrombus treated with sorafenib plus transarterial chemoembolization

OBJECTIVES

To identify clinical prognostic and predictive factors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) undergoing sorafenib plus transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and establish a prognostic score for these patients.

METHODS

Between January 2012 and December 2017, 184 consecutive patients with HCC and PVTT were concurrently treated with sorafenib and TACE. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the clinical factors independently correlated with overall survival (OS). A prognostic score was then developed to identify different prognoses in an initial cohort and validated in an external cohort (n = 72).

RESULTS

In the multivariate analysis, performance status, extension of PVTT, initial radiological response, and sorafenib-related dermatologic toxicity were identified as predictors associated with OS. These factors were used to develop a prognostic score (PPRD score, range from 0 to 11). The median survival was found to decrease as the PPRD score increased, and patients were stratified into a favorable group (0 points), intermediate group (1-4 points), and dismal group (> 4 points). The median survival of patients in the three groups was 34.0 months, 20.0 months, and 7.0 months, respectively (p < 0.001). Additionally, the time to progression (TTP) (p < 0.001) was stratified along the same prognostic groups. The external validation cohort confirmed the prognostic scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed score system can accurately stratify the outcomes of patients with HCC and PVTT treated with sorafenib plus TACE to help identify which group of patients may benefit from treatment.

KEY POINTS

• The survival benefits of patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib plus TACE remains controversial. • The independent factors associated with survival were identified to develop a prognostic score, called the PPRD score (standing for performance status, PVTT grade, radiological response, and sorafenib-related dermatologic toxicity); the median survival decreases as the score increases. • The scoring system can accurately stratify the survival benefits of patients with HCC and PVTT treated with combination therapy and help to identify which group of patients may benefit from the treatment. Graphical abstract.

Apatinib treatment may improve survival outcomes of patients with hepatitis B virus-related sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma

AIMS

This study aimed to (a) assess the effectiveness and safety of apatinib as a subsequent treatment for patients with sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and (b) identify the clinical factors influencing their treatment outcomes.

METHODS

The electronic medical records of consecutive patients with newly diagnosed advanced HCC treated with first-line sorafenib from 2015 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who were confirmed to have primary resistance to sorafenib were enrolled in this study. The outcomes of patients treated with apatinib were compared with those of patients who received supportive care. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

A total of 92 patients with sorafenib-resistant advanced HCC (84 men and 8 women; mean age, 51.9 years) were included. All patients had an etiology of hepatitis B. The median OS in the overall cohort was 5.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.9, 6.0]. Of 92 patients, 58 (63.0%) were treated with apatinib, and 34 (37.0%) received supportive care. Apatinib treatment was associated with longer survival times than supportive care for patients with sorafenib-resistant advanced HCC (median OS: 7.0 versus 4.0 months, p < 0.001). The results of the multivariate analysis demonstrated that liver tumor load [hazard ratio (HR): 3.653, 95% CI: 2.047, 5.965, p < 0.001] and extrahepatic spread (HR: 0.303, 95% CI: 0.231, 0.778, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of OS after apatinib treatment.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that subsequent apatinib treatment may improve survival outcomes compared with supportive care for patients with sorafenib-resistant, advanced hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC, especially for patients who have a lower liver tumor load and extrahepatic spread.

Transarterial chemoembolization with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy plus S-1 for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) have shown promising local benefits for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). S-1, a composite preparation of a 5-fluorouracil prodrug, has proven to be a convenient oral chemotherapeutic agent with definite efficacy against advanced HCC.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TACE followed by HAIC with or without oral S-1 for treating advanced HCC.

METHODS

In this single-center, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 117 participants with advanced HCC were randomized to receive TACE followed by oxaliplatin-based HAIC either with (TACE/HAIC + S-1, n = 56) or without (TACE/HAIC, n = 61) oral S-1 between December 2013 and September 2017. Two participants were excluded from final analysis for withdrawing consent. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate, disease control rate and safety.

RESULTS

In total, 115 participants (100 males and 15 females; mean age, 57.7 years ± 11.9) were analyzed. The median PFS and OS were 5.0 mo (0.4-58.6 mo) (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.82 to 6.18) vs 4.4 mo (1.1-54.4 mo) (95%CI: 2.54 to 6.26; P = 0.585) and 8.4 mo (0.4-58.6 mo) (95%CI: 6.88 to 9.92) vs 8.3 mo (1.4-54.4 m) (95%CI: 5.71 to 10.96; P = 0.985) in the TACE/HAIC + S-1 and TACE/HAIC groups, respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 30.9% vs 18.4% and 72.7% vs 56.7% in the TACE/HAIC + S-1 and TACE/HAIC groups, respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events had a similar frequency in both treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

No improvements in tumor response rates, PFS or OS were observed with the addition of S-1 to TACE/HAIC in advanced HCC. Both treatment regimens had a similar safety profile.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: recent advances and emerging medical therapies

Hepatocellular carcinoma remains a deadly disease with poor prognosis in patients with unresectable cancer. Trans-arterial chemoembolization is the primary locoregional therapy for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma, with an estimated median overall survival of less than two years. For almost a decade, sorafenib has been the only standard systemic treatment for metastatic disease or tumors which progress or are considered unsuitable for locoregional therapy. Major breakthroughs have been made over the past few years in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, especially in medical therapies for advanced disease. In this article, recent advances in intra-arterial therapy, multi-kinase inhibitors, and immunotherapy will be reviewed.

New insights on sorafenib resistance in liver cancer with correlation of individualized therapy

Liver cancer is highly malignant and insensitive to cytotoxic chemotherapy and is associated with very poor patient prognosis. In 2007, the small-molecule targeted drug sorafenib was approved for the treatment of advanced liver cancer. In the subsequent ten years, sorafenib has been the only first-line therapeutic targeted drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a number of clinical studies show that a considerable percentage of patients with liver cancer are insensitive to sorafenib. The number of patients who actually benefit significantly from sorafenib treatment is very limited, and the overall efficacy of sorafenib is far from satisfactory, which has attracted the attention of researchers. Based on previous studies and reports, this article reviews the potential mechanisms of sorafenib resistance (SR) and summarizes the biomarkers and clinicopathological indicators that might be used for predicting sorafenib response and developing personalized therapy.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Patients with Nonmetastatic BCLC Stage C Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an emerging treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with promising outcome. However, appropriate survival prediction models are scarce. This study aimed to develop a simple and clinically useful prognostic nomogram for patients with nondistant metastatic Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C HCC undergoing SBRT.

METHODS

The data were based on a prospective multi-institutional registry enrolling 246 patients with nondistant metastatic BCLC stage C HCC treated with SBRT between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2016. They were randomly divided into two subsets: 164 into the development cohort and 82 into the validation cohort. We identified and included prognostic factors for survival to derive a nomogram in the development cohort. The predictability of the nomogram was evaluated in the validation cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the calibration plot were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram.

RESULTS

The median survival was 13.5 months, with 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of 55.0 and 32.9%, respectively. Number of tumors, largest tumor size, macrovascular invasion, Child-Turcotte-Pugh class, and biologically effective dose were significantly associated with OS (p < 0.05). These predictors were included to develop a nomogram with an AUROC of 0.77 (0.73-0.87). The prediction model was well calibrated in the validation cohort. The OS for patients who were divided by their risk scores differed significantly (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram we generated had discriminatory and satisfactory predictability for OS among nonmetastatic BCLC stage C HCC patients treated with SBRT. It demands further validations with cross-country data to confirm its worldwide usefulness.

Covariate-adjusted analysis of the Phase 3 REFLECT study of lenvatinib versus sorafenib in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

In the Phase 3 REFLECT trial in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), the multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, lenvatinib, was noninferior to sorafenib in the primary outcome of overall survival. Post-hoc review revealed imbalances in prognostic variables between treatment arms. Here, we re-analyse overall survival data from REFLECT to adjust for the imbalance in covariates.

METHODS

Univariable and multivariable adjustments were undertaken for a candidate set of covariate values that a physician panel indicated could be prognostically associated with overall survival in uHCC. The values included baseline variables observed pre- and post-randomisation. Univariable analyses were based on a stratified Cox model. The multivariable analysis used a "forwards stepwise" Cox model.

RESULTS

Univariable analysis identified alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as the most influential variable. The chosen multivariable Cox model analysis resulted in an estimated adjusted hazard ratio for lenvatinib of 0.814 (95% CI: 0.699-0.948) when only baseline variables were included. Adjusting for post-randomisation treatment variables further increased the estimated superiority of lenvatinib.

CONCLUSIONS

Covariate adjustment of REFLECT suggests that the original noninferiority trial likely underestimated the true effect of lenvatinib on overall survival due to an imbalance in baseline prognostic covariates and the greater use of post-treatment therapies in the sorafenib arm.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial number: NCT01761266 (Submitted January 2, 2013).

Exploratory Analysis to Identify Candidates Benefitting from Combination Therapy of Transarterial Chemoembolization and Sorafenib for First-Line Treatment of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study

INTRODUCTION

The benefits of combining transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and sorafenib (TACE-S) over TACE alone for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain controversial. Yet, such populations are heterogeneous in terms of baseline characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the predictors of survival benefits from added sorafenib and identify the potential candidates for TACE-S.

METHODS

This multicenter observational study was conducted in 17 Chinese tertiary hospitals for patients with unresectable, liver-confined HCC. Eligible patients with performance status score of ≤1 and Child-Pugh score of ≤7 were treated with TACE or TACE-S. Interactions between treatment and baseline variables were evaluated to find indicators for survival benefits, based on which the patients were stratified. Multivariate models adjusted for baseline characteristics or propensity score were used to compare overall survival (OS) and time to tumor progression (TTP).

RESULTS

From January 2009 to December 2015, 1,719 consecutive patients received TACE (n = 1,406) or TACE-S (n = 313). Although TACE-S compared with TACE improved TTP (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.75, p = 0.008), no difference in OS was observed (adjusted HR 0.87, p = 0.090). Nevertheless, the tumor burden (sum of maximum diameter of largest tumor [cm] and tumor number) and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score independently predicted the survival benefits from added sorafenib (interaction p< 0.001). For patients with either moderate tumor burden (7-13) or low ALBI score (no more than -2.8) defined as candidates, TACE-S prolonged OS (adjusted HR 0.73, p = 0.003) and TTP (adjusted HR 0.72, p = 0.014) compared to TACE alone, whereas its superiority disappeared in non-candidates.

CONCLUSIONS

Not all unresectable HCC patients but those with moderate tumor burden or low ALBI score achieve survival benefits from TACE-S compared with TACE alone. Future randomized controlled trials focusing on the subset are warranted.

Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment Response Assessment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. Thus, there is a constant search for improvement in screening, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to improve the prognosis of this malignancy. The identification of useful biomarkers for surveillance and early HCC diagnosis is still deficient, with available serum biomarkers showing low sensitivity and heterogeneous specificity despite different cut-off points, even when assessed longitudinally, or with a combination of serum biomarkers. In contrast, HCC biomarkers used for prognostic (when associated with clinical outcomes) or predictive purposes (when associated with treatment response) may have an increased clinical role in the near future. Furthermore, some serum biomarkers are already implicated as a treatment selection tool, whether to provide access to certain therapies or to assess clinical benefit after treatment. In the present review we will discuss the clinical utility and foreseen future of HCC biomarkers implicated in surveillance, diagnosis, prognosis, and post-treatment assessment.

Utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio to identify long-term survivors among HCC patients treated with sorafenib

Sorafenib is the first multikinase inhibitor demonstrating a survival benefit for patients suffering from advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, 1 issue remains open: what is the factor able to predict which patients will be long survivors?In the present study, we harnessed the potential of conditional survival, aiming at estimating the probability that a patient receiving sorafenib survives for more than 3 years.The present multicentric study was conducted on a cohort of 438 HCC patients. The primary end point was conditional overall survival. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate conditional overall survival probabilities at 3 years.The 3-year conditional survival of patients without disease progression highlights that NLR and ECOG are the factors that most accurately predict the probability of long survival. The 3-year conditional survival of patients with disease progression showed a medium effect size for HCV status, alpha-fetoprotein and NLR at all time-points. Macro-vascular portal vein invasion, extra hepatic disease, and BCLC we have a large effect size at 6 months and a medium effect size at 12 and 24 months.Our findings support the use of baseline NLR for the identification of patients with a higher probability of long-survival. NLR should be used as a stratification factor in the forthcoming clinical trials on the drugs for the advanced HCC now in pipeline.

Systemic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: from sorafenib to combination therapies

For almost a decade, systemic therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was limited to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) sorafenib. Different agents including checkpoint inhibitors, TKIs and anti-VEGFR antibodies demonstrated efficacy in treatment. For the first time, the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab, a first-line treatment that is superior to the current standard was identified, potentially changing the way we treat HCC. In this review, we summarize current data on systemic treatment of patients with advanced HCC, focusing on combination therapies comprising immune checkpoint inhibitors, TKIs and locoregional therapies. We elucidate findings from recent trials and discuss such challenges as the lack of predictive biomarkers for identification of subgroups that will benefit from novel treatment strategies.

Is the era of sorafenib over? A review of the literature

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most severe diseases worldwide. For the different stages of HCC, there are different clinical treatment strategies, such as surgical therapy for the early stage, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for intermediate-stage disease. Systemic treatment, which uses mainly targeted drugs, is the standard therapy against advanced HCC. Sorafenib is an important first-line therapy for advanced HCC. As a classically effective drug, sorafenib can increase overall survival markedly. However, it still has room for improvement because of the heterogeneity of HCC and acquired resistance. Scientists have reported the acquired sorafenib resistance is associated with the anomalous expression of certain genes, most of which are also related with HCC onset and development. Combining sorafenib with inhibitors targeting these genes may be an effective treatment. Combined treatment may not only overcome drug resistance, but also inhibit the expression of carcinoma-related genes. This review focuses on the current status of sorafenib in advanced HCC, summarizes the inhibitors that can combine with sorafenib in the treatment against HCC, and provides the rationale for clinical trials of sorafenib in combination with other inhibitors in HCC. The era of sorafenib in the treatment of HCC is far from over, as long as we find better methods of medication.

Efficacy and Safety of Sorafenib in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Bile Duct Invasion

INTRODUCTION

Because the frequency of bile duct invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is very rare, there is limited clinical evidence to demonstrate the outcomes of systemic therapy in HCC with bile duct invasion.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to clarify the efficacy and safety of sorafenib treatment in patients with unresectable advanced HCC with bile duct invasion.

METHODS

One hundred and seventy-five patients with advanced HCC were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of sorafenib between patients without bile duct invasion [B (-) group, n = 165] and those with bile duct invasion [B (+) group, n = 10].

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the confirmed objective response rate (ORR) and the confirmed disease control (DC) rate between the B (-) and the B (+) groups (13.9 vs. 20.0%, p = 0.637 for ORR; 47.2 vs. 70.0%, p = 0.202 for DC rate, respectively). There were no significant differences in median overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) between the B (-) group and the B (+) group (14.8 vs. 14.1 months, p = 0.780 for OS; 3.4 vs. 5.7 months, p = 0.277 for TTP, respectively). Post-treatment factors associated with good OS were changes in albumin-bilirubin score (0-6 weeks) of <0.25, and antitumor response at 6 weeks of DC. Though 5 of 10 patients (50%) in the B (+) group had bile duct complications, such as obstructive jaundice and biliary bleeding, these 5 patients were able to recover from biliary troubles by careful and vigorous management with biliary endoscopic intervention, and were able to continue sorafenib therapy safely.

CONCLUSIONS

Our present results suggest that sorafenib might have potential therapeutic efficacy and safety in advanced HCC patients with bile duct invasion. In case of biliary tract troubles before and during sorafenib treatment, early biliary management may be important to continue sorafenib therapy safely. Further studies are needed to confirm the outcomes of sorafenib in advanced HCC patients with bile duct invasion.

Systemic Therapy for Primary Liver Tumors: Cholangiocarcinoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

In the past decade, there has been significant progress in the treatment of primary liver cancer. There has been increasing knowledge of the molecular alterations occurring in these tumors, which is now being translated into patient care. Ongoing clinical trials will further advance the therapeutic options available to patients, including the introduction of molecular targeted therapeutics and immunotherapy approaches. Critical to the success of these new drugs, is the appropriate use of them in the clinic to maximize efficacy and limit toxicity.

The role of PNI to predict survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with Sorafenib

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The present study aims to investigate the role of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib.

METHODS

This multicentric study included a training cohort of 194 HCC patients and three external validation cohorts of 129, 76 and 265 HCC patients treated with Sorafenib, respectively. The PNI was calculated as follows: 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × total lymphocyte count (per mm3). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the association between the covariates and the overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

A PNI cut-off value of 31.3 was established using the ROC analysis. In the training cohort, the median OS was 14.8 months (95% CI 12-76.3) and 6.8 months (95% CI 2.7-24.6) for patients with a high (>31.3) and low (<31.3) PNI, respectively. At both the univariate and the multivariate analysis, low PNI value (p = 0.0004), a 1-unit increase of aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.0001), and age > 70 years (p< 0.0038) were independent prognostic factors for OS. By performing the same multivariate analysis of the training cohort, the PNI <31.3 versus >31.3 was found to be an independent prognostic factor for predicting OS in all the three validation cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI represents a prognostic tool in advanced HCC treated with first-line Sorafenib. It is readily available and low-cost, and it could be implemented in clinical practice in patients with HCC.

New systemic agents for hepatocellular carcinoma: an update 2020

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Despite major therapeutic improvements in most cancer entities, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has remained a dismal disease. In fact, incidence and mortality are increasing in many parts of the world, including the United States. Given that a number of systemic agents has recently been tested positive in phase 3 clinical trials, the objective of this review is to summarize the current treatment landscape for advanced HCC.

RECENT FINDINGS

Following the positive SHARP trial in 2008, sorafenib has been the only systemic agent for advanced HCC for almost a decade. However, in first line, lenvatinib was tested noninferior to sorafenib, and most recently, the combination of atezolizumab with bevacizumab was tested superior to sorafenib. In second line, regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab (the latter for patients with AFP ≥400 ng/ml) have shown prolonged overall survival compared with placebo.

SUMMARY

Systemic treatment options for advanced HCC have substantially increased over the past years. The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab will likely become the new standard of care as it is the first treatment to report improved overall survival compared with sorafenib and the first, and so far only, positive phase 3 clinical trial for an immune-checkpoint inhibitor-containing regimen in advanced HCC.

Efficacy and Safety of Liver-Directed Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy and Sequential Sorafenib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective Phase 2 Trial

PURPOSE

Although sorafenib as a standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prolongs overall survival (OS), its efficacy is limited owing to its unsatisfactory objective response and marginal survival benefit. To counter these limitations, we designed a single-arm, phase II trial with liver-directed concurrent chemoradiotherapy (LD-CCRT) and sequential sorafenib treatment in patients with advanced HCC.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We enrolled advanced HCC patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2017 who were ineligible for curative treatment. During the first and last 5 days of 5-week radiation therapy, concurrent hepatic arterial infusion with 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/d) and leucovorin (50 mg/d) through an implanted port was administered 4 weeks after initiation of LD-CCRT and sequential sorafenib treatment (400 mg, twice daily). The primary endpoint was OS. This trial has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov.

RESULTS

Among the enrolled patients (n = 47), objective response rates 4 weeks after LD-CCRT and during/up to sorafenib maintenance were 44.7% and 53.2%, respectively. Overall, 9 patients (19.1%) underwent curative resection or transplantation after down staging. The median radiation dose was 60 Gy. The median OS was 24.6 months for the entire cohort and 13.0 months for the subgroup with tumor invasion into the main portal trunk or its first branch, whereas the median progression-free survival for the cohort and subgroup was 6.8 and 5.6 months, respectively. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were diarrhea (36.2%) and hand-foot skin reaction (34%), which were manageable with conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

LD-CCRT and sequential sorafenib treatment provided favorable OS and progression-free survival with good tolerability. Tumor reduction using an initial LD-CCRT enabled down staging, subsequent curative treatment, and long-term survival in about 20% of the patients with advanced HCC. However, further randomized trials are required to confirm these results.

Chemoembolization Plus Radiotherapy Versus Chemoembolization Plus Sorafenib for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Invading the Portal Vein: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

A combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus sorafenib or radiotherapy (RT) has demonstrated efficacy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, the two combined treatment approaches were compared in patients with HCC and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Data from 307 patients treated with TACE plus RT (n = 203) or TACE plus sorafenib (n = 104) as first-line treatment for HCC with PVTT were retrospectively evaluated. Using the propensity model to correct selection bias, 87 patients were included from each treatment group. During follow up (median, 12 months) in the entire study population, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly longer in the TACE plus RT group than in the TACE plus sorafenib group (6.5 vs. 4.3 months, respectively; p = 0.017 and 16.4 vs. 12 months, respectively; p = 0.007). Following propensity score matching, the median PFS and OS in the two groups showed no statistically significant difference. Multivariable analysis found no significant association between PFS or OS and the treatment type. In conclusion, this retrospective study of data from patients with advanced HCC with PVTT shows that PFS and OS did not differ significantly in patients treated with TACE plus RT and TACE plus sorafenib.

Sequencing of systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: Second line competitors

During the last decades, further knowledge of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) molecular mechanisms has led to development of effective systemic treatments including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapy. In this review, we describe first and second line systemic treatment options for advanced HCC. Several trials have evaluated new drugs for the treatment of HCC patients: In first line, lenvatinib resulted non-inferior to sorafenib and it can be used as alternative, even in the lack of evidence for sequential treatment options in second line after lenvatinib. Recently, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab have shown superiority over sorafenib in first-line. Sorafenib-regorafenib sequential administration in selected patients has opened a new paradigm of treatment in advanced HCC with a life expectancy exceeding two years. Other TKIs for second line treatment include cabozantinib and ramucirumab (specifically for patients with Alpha-fetoprotein values ≥ 400 ng/mL). The combination of TKIs with immunotherapy may represent a big step forward for these patients in the near future.

The Prognostic Value of Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio and Monocyte-to-lymphocyte Ratio in Metastatic Gastric Cancer Treated with Systemic Chemotherapy

Background: The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) in metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) treated with systemic chemotherapy is largely unknown, especially second-line chemotherapy. We retrospectively investigated the prognostic value of baseline NLR and MLR in the progression of mGC with systemic chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with mGC diagnosed by pathology from January 2010 to December 2018 were identified. Baseline NLR and MLR were collected before treatment. The time to progression during or after first-line therapy from diagnosis (PFS1), and during or after second-line chemotherapy (PFS2) were primary endpoint. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from diagnosis to the date of death or final follow-up.

Results: 537 patients with first-line chemotherapy were included in the retrospective study. The cutoff values of NLR and MLR were 2.610 and 0.285, respectively. Pretreatment NLR and MLR were significantly independent prognostic factors for PFS1 (hazard ratio [HR]=1.597, 95% CI 1.261-2.022, P<0.001 and HR=1.574, 95% CI 1.239-1.999, P<0.001) and OS (HR=1.448, 95% CI 1.030-2.034, P=0.033 and HR=1.622, 95% CI 1.148-2.291, P=0.006). For 172 patients treated with second-line chemotherapy, the cutoff value of MLR was 0.355 and MLR maintained a significant association with PFS2 (HR=1.589, 95% CI 1.073-2.354, P=0.021) in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: Elevated NLR and MLR were markedly related to the worse PFS1 and OS in mGC performed with first-line chemotherapy. In patients with second-line therapy, MLR was more closely connected to prognosis and was a significantly independent prognostic factor for PFS2.

Relative Efficacy of Systemic Treatments for Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma According to Viral Status: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Several clinical trials that tested the efficacy of systemic treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showed a tendency that patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection had different survival benefits from targeted agents.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the comparative efficacy of systemic targeted therapies according to HBV and HCV status in first-line and second- or later-line treatments for advanced HCC.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane database, and meeting abstracts were searched through to January 2019. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival with 95% credible intervals (CrIs) and determine the ranking of the included regimens.

RESULTS

Sixteen trials involving 6410 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In the first-line treatment setting, lenvatinib was the best agent for both HBV and HCV subgroups, presenting the most favorable HR versus sorafenib (HR 0.83, 95% CrI 0.68-1.01 and HR 0.91, 95% CrI 0.66-1.25, respectively), and was ranked as the best agent [surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value of 87% and 85%, respectively] among the included drugs. In second-line therapy, regorafenib showed the lowest HR versus placebo (HR 0.58, 95% CrI 0.41-0.82) in the HBV subgroup, whereas no agent was significantly more effective than placebo in the HCV subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with sorafenib, lenvatinib was more efficacious in the HBV subgroup than in the HCV subgroup, and the relative ranking of sorafenib in the HBV subgroup was lower than in the HCV subgroup. Each targeted agent reported to be the best by viral etiology and line of treatment could be carefully recommended in each subgroup.

Development of a Novel Inflammation-Based Index for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The aim of current study was to (1) construct and validate a novel hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific inflammatory index; (2) compare the performances of the Integrated Liver Inflammatory Score (ILIS) to existing 4 inflammatory indices in HCC; (3) explore the association between the inflammatory indices and systemic/intratumoral inflammatory markers.

METHODS

Two cohorts from Hong Kong (HK; n = 1,315) and Newcastle (n = 574) were studied. A novel index was constructed from the HK training set (n = 627). The index was constructed from the training set by combing independent prognostic circulating parameters, followed by validating in the validation set of HK cohort (n = 688) and the Newcastle cohort. Its prognostic performance was compared to 4 inflammatory indices, namely, the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, prognostic nutrition index, and systemic immune-inflammation index, were compared in the HK cohort. Circulating cytokines and intratumoral gene expression were analyzed in a subset of patients with available samples and correlated with the inflammatory indices.

RESULTS

In the training set of the HK cohort, the ILIS, was generated: -0.057 × albumin (g/L) + 0.978 × log (Bilirubin, µmol/L) + 1.341 × log (alkaline phosphatase, IU/L) + 0.086 × Neutrophil (109/L) + 0.301 × log (alpha-fetoprotein, µg/L). With cutoff of 2.60 and 3.87, the ILIS could categorize patients into 3 risk groups in the both validation cohorts. ILIS outperforms other inflammatory indices and remains an independent prognosticator for overall survival after adjustment with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (hazard ratio 31.90, p < 0.001). The ILIS had the best prognostic performances as compared to other inflammatory indices. In exploratory analyses, the ILIS correlated with circulating inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-8) but not with any intratumoral inflammatory gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

ILIS is an HCC-specific prognostic index built on 5 readily available blood parameters. Its versatility is validated both Eastern and Western population of HCC. The score is correlated with levels of circulating cytokines.

Early Tumor Shrinkage as a Predictive Factor for Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Lenvatinib: A Multicenter Analysis

We investigated the association between early tumor shrinkage (ETS) and treatment outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with lenvatinib (LEN). A retrospective analysis was performed in 104 patients. ETS was defined as tumor shrinkage at the first evaluation in the sum of target lesions’ longest diameters from baseline according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). The median overall survival (OS) was not reached, whereas the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.0 months. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in differentiating long-term responders (PFS ≥ 5.0 months) from short-term responders (PFS < 5.0 months) revealed an ETS cut-off value of 10%. ETS ≥ 10% was significantly correlated with better PFS and OS compared with ETS < 10%. Additionally, ETS ≥ 10% showed a better discrimination ability on prognosis compared with modified RECIST-based objective response at the first evaluation. Multivariate analysis confirmed ETS ≥ 10% as an independent predictor of better OS, as well as a Child–Pugh score of 5 and macrovascular invasion. In conclusion, ETS ≥ 10% was strongly associated with outcome in patients treated with LEN. This biomarker could allow earlier assessment of the treatment response and guide treatment decision-making for HCC.

Increased Expression of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Patients with HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

METHODS

The percentages of MDSCs, IFN-γ-producing CD4 and CD8 T cells in the peripheral blood of HCC patients, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and healthy controls (HC) were determined by flow cytometry. The serum concentrations of IL-10 and TNF-α were determined by ELISA. The association of the percentages of MDSCs with tumor burden, liver function parameters, systemic inflammation-related indexes, and IFN-γ-producing T cells was assessed.

RESULTS

The percentages of MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs were significantly higher in HCC patients than those in CHB patients and HC. The level of MDSCs was correlated with indirect bilirubin and prealbumin, as well as systemic inflammation response index, monocyte/lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte counts. The frequency of IFN-γ-producing CD8 T cells of HCC patients was lower than that of HC. However, there was no relationship between MDSCs and IFN-γ-producing CD8 T cells. The level of IL-10 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in CHB patients.

CONCLUSION

MDSCs seem to play an important role in the process leading from chronic HBV infection to HCC. Early inhibiting these cells could affect tumor progression.

BRAZILIAN SOCIETY OF HEPATOLOGY UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The Brazilian Society of Hepatology (SBH) published in 2015 its first recommendations about the management of HCC. Since then, new data have emerged in the literature, prompting the governing board of SBH to sponsor a single-topic meeting in August 2018 in São Paulo. All the invited experts were asked to make a systematic review of the literature reviewing the management of HCC in subjects with cirrhosis. After the meeting, all panelists gathered together for the discussion of the topics and the elaboration of updated recommendations. The text was subsequently submitted for suggestions and approval of all members of the Brazilian Society of Hepatology through its homepage. The present manuscript is the final version of the reviewed manuscript containing the recommendations of SBH.

Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for BCLC Stage C Hepatocellular Carcinoma Comparing Child-Pugh A Versus B7 Patients: Are the Outcomes Equivalent?

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization outcomes across Child-Pugh scores in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From April 2005 to December 2018, 106 consecutive patients with BCLC Stage C HCC who underwent Y90 radioembolization were retrospectively analyzed. Exclusion criteria included additional malignancy (n = 7), death unrelated to liver disease (n = 2), metastases (n = 2), or lack of follow-up data (n = 4). Ninety-one patients were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between groups with the log-rank test. Cox regression modeling was used to evaluate the prognostic factors for survival.

RESULTS

Mean age was 63 years and 85.7% were male. HCV infection was the most common etiology of liver disease (58.2%). Sixty-four (70.3%) patients were Child-Pugh A, 19 (20.9%) patients were B7, and eight (8.8%) patients were B8-9. Median OS after radioembolization was 20.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.0-27.4], 6.0 (95% CI 4.4-7.6), and 5.5 (95% CI 2.5-8.5) months for Child-Pugh A, B7, and B8/9 groups, respectively (P < 0.001 for B7 vs. A; P = 0.537 for B7 vs. B8/9). The multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (P < 0.001), Child-Pugh class (P = 0.005), tumor morphology pattern (P = 0.012), and Y90 delivery location (P = 0.020) were significant independent predictors of overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Outcomes from Y90 for BCLC C HCC for Child-Pugh B7 patients were equivalent to B8/9 patients and significantly worse compared to Child-Pugh A patients. Although further research is warranted, these results suggest continued cautious patient selection for radioembolization in advanced HCC.

Pan-Asian adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of patients with intermediate and advanced/relapsed hepatocellular carcinoma: a TOS-ESMO initiative endorsed by CSCO, ISMPO, JSMO, KSMO, MOS and SSO

The most recent version of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was published in 2018, and covered the diagnosis, management, treatment and follow-up of early, intermediate and advanced disease. At the ESMO Asia Meeting in November 2018 it was decided by both the ESMO and the Taiwan Oncology Society (TOS) to convene a special guidelines meeting immediately after the Taiwan Joint Cancer Conference (TJCC) in May 2019 in Taipei. The aim was to adapt the ESMO 2018 guidelines to take into account both the ethnic and the geographic differences in practice associated with the treatment of HCC in Asian patients. These guidelines represent the consensus opinions reached by experts in the treatment of patients with intermediate and advanced/relapsed HCC representing the oncology societies of Taiwan (TOS), China (CSCO), India (ISMPO) Japan (JSMO), Korea (KSMO), Malaysia (MOS) and Singapore (SSO). The voting was based on scientific evidence, and was independent of the current treatment practices, the drug availability and reimbursement situations in the individual participating Asian countries.

Impact of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors with or without a Combination of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors on Organ-Specific Efficacy and Macrovascular Invasion in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

The tumor microenvironments of different organs often differ and thus may affect the immunotherapy response.

OBJECTIVE

This study elucidated that the efficacy of programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors varies across different metastatic sites among individuals with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed treatment outcomes in advanced HCC patients receiving PD-1 inhibitors with or without a combination of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Both the overall response rate (ORR) and organ-specific response rate (OSRR) were assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1 criteria. A survival analysis and its predictors were determined using a multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

We analyzed 42 advanced HCC patients (median age: 58.0 years; 78.6% males). Thirty (71.4%) patients were sorafenib-experienced and 27 (64.3%) were administered a combination of TKIs. The ORR was 14.3% and the disease control rate was 33.3%. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 12.0 and 2.9 months, respectively. The OSRRs were 14.7, 23.8, 28.6, and 50.0% for the liver, lungs, lymph nodes, and vascular response, respectively. The multivariate analysis indicated that the vascular response was significantly associated with PFS. ECOG performance status was a significant independent predictor of OS.

CONCLUSIONS

PD-1 inhibitors improved OS and PFS in advanced HCC patients. Their efficacies varied among the metastatic locations regardless of the combination of TKIs; in particular, a higher response in vascular metastases was correlated with a longer PFS. PD-1 inhibitors may deliver a synergistic benefit in patients undergoing traditional therapy and progression in other organs in vascular responders.

Sorafenib Plus Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin vs Sorafenib Alone for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Invasion: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Sorafenib is the first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion; however, it has shown unsatisfactory survival benefit. Sorafenib plus hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFOX) has shown promising results for these patients in a previous phase 2 study.

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib plus HAIC compared with sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized, open-label clinical trial enrolled 818 screened patients. Of the 818 participants, 247 with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein invasion were randomly assigned (1:1) via a computer-generated sequence to receive sorafenib plus HAIC or sorafenib. This trial was conducted at 5 hospitals in China and enrolled patients from April 1, 2016, to October 10, 2017, with a follow-up period of 10 months.

Interventions

Randomization to receive 400 mg sorafenib twice daily (sorafenib group) or 400 mg sorafenib twice daily plus HAIC (SoraHAIC group) (oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2, leucovorin 400 mg/m2, fluorouracil bolus 400 mg/m2 on day 1, and fluorouracil infusion 2400 mg/m2 for 46 hours, every 3 weeks).

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary endpoint was overall survival by intention-to-treat analysis. Safety was assessed in patients who received at least 1 dose of study treatment.

Results

For 247 patients (median age, 49 years; range, 18-75 years; 223 men and 24 women), median overall survival was 13.37 months (95% CI, 10.27-16.46) in the SoraHAIC group vs 7.13 months (95% CI, 6.28-7.98) in the sorafenib group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.35; 95% CI, 0.26-0.48; P < .001). The SoraHAIC group showed a higher response rate than the sorafenib group (51 [40.8%] vs 3 [2.46%]; P < .001), and a longer median progression-free survival (7.03 [95% CI, 6.05-8.02] vs 2.6 [95% CI, 2.15-3.05] months; P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events that were more frequent in the SoraHAIC group than in the sorafenib group included neutropenia (12 [9.68%] vs 3 [2.48%]), thrombocytopenia (16 [12.9%] vs 6 [4.96%]), and vomiting (8 [6.45%] vs 1 [0.83%]).

Conclusions and Relevance

Sorafenib plus HAIC of FOLFOX improved overall survival and had acceptable toxic effects compared with sorafenib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein invasion.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02774187.

Development of a prognostic scoring model for predicting the survival of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

The number of elderly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is increasing, and precisely assessing of the prognosis of these patients is necessary. We developed a prognostic scoring model to predict survival in elderly HCC patients.

Methods

We extracted data from 4,076 patients ≥65 years old from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and randomly divided them into training and validation groups. Cox regression analysis was used to screen for meaningful independent prognostic factors. The receiver operating characteristic curve reflected the model's discrimination power.

Results

Age, race, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, degree of tumour differentiation, tumour size, alpha-fetoprotein and tumour therapy were independent prognostic factors for survival in elderly HCC patients. We developed a prognostic scoring model based on the seven meaningful variables to predict survival in elderly HCC patients. The AUCs of the model were 0.805 (95% CI [0.788-0.821]) and 0.788 (95% CI [0.759-0.816]) in the training and validation groups, respectively. We divided the patients into low-risk groups and high-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off value. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that in the training and validation groups, the survival rate of the low-risk group was significantly higher than that of the high-risk group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Based on a large population, we constructed a prognostic scoring model for predicting survival in elderly HCC patients. The model may provide a reference for clinicians for preoperative and postoperative evaluations of elderly HCC patients.

Role of locoregional therapies in the wake of systemic therapy

Multiple systemic agents have recently been approved in the first- and second-line setting for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), increasing the therapeutic options for patients and treating physicians. The randomised controlled trials that led to these approvals were predominantly conducted in a population comprised of patients with advanced HCC. However, these trials also included a subset of patients who had progressed after locoregional therapies (LRTs), mostly transarterial chemoembolisation. With a greater number of systemic agents available, the role of LRTs has become a topic of debate, specifically regarding when to transition to systemic therapy in unresectable HCC and the potential opportunities for combining locoregional and systemic therapies. Trials of immuno-oncology agents (notably T cell checkpoint inhibitors) are ongoing in the advanced disease setting and these agents also present opportunities for combination therapies, both with other systemic agents and with LRTs in earlier stage disease. This article will review strategies to guide patient selection for LRT as well as the development of locoregional-systemic combinations based on scientific rationale and the challenges of clinical trial design in this setting.

mRECIST for HCC: Performance and novel refinements

In 2010, modified RECIST (mRECIST) criteria were proposed as a way of adapting the RECIST criteria to the particularities of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We intended to overcome some limitations of RECIST in measuring tumour shrinkage with local and systemic therapies, and also to refine the assessment of progression that could be misinterpreted with conventional RECIST 1.1, due to clinical events related to the natural progression of chronic liver disease (development of ascites, enlargement of lymph nodes, etc.). mRECIST has served its purpose since being adopted or included in clinical practice guidelines (European, American and Asian) for the management of HCC; it has also been instrumental for assessing response and time-to-event endpoints in several phase II and III investigations. Nowadays, mRECIST has become the standard tool for measurement of radiological endpoints at early/intermediate stages of HCC. At advanced stages, guidelines recommend both methods. mRECIST has been proven to capture higher objective response rates in tumours treated with molecular therapies and those responses have shown to be independently associated with better survival. With the advent of novel treatment approaches (i.e. immunotherapy) and combination therapies there is a need to further refine and clarify some concepts around the performance of mRECIST. Similarly, changes in the landscape of standard of care at advanced stages of the disease are pointing towards progression-free survival as a potential primary endpoint in some phase III investigations, as effective therapies applied beyond progression might mask overall survival results. Strict recommendations for adopting this endpoint have been reported. Overall, we review the performance of mRECIST during the last decade, incorporating novel clarifications and refinements in light of emerging challenges in the study and management of HCC.

Prognostic Roles of Blood Inflammatory Markers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Taking Sorafenib. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness of the prognostic roles of blood inflammatory markers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving sorafenib.

Methods: We carried out a comprehensive literature search in four databases. Study endpoints, hazard ratios (HRs) and the associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) for clinical outcomes, which were to assess therapeutic efficacy, were extracted. This meta-analysis was conducted by Review Manager 5.3.

Results: We summarized the available evidence from 18 studies with a total of 2,745 cases. The pooled results showed that the synthesized HR favored patients with low pretreatment NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), which also indicated that HCC patients with a lower baseline NLR may have a better response to sorafenib than those with higher NLR (HR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.44, 2.15], P < 0.00001, I² = 68%). Significance was also observed for the prognostic function of the PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) of HCC patients treated with sorafenib (HR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.16, 1.93], P = 0.002, I² = 0%, P = 0.65). The subgroup analysis revealed that different gene backgrounds play a prominent role in the source of heterogeneity. Interestingly, the predictive effect on OS (overall survival) was more pronounced as the NLR cutoff value increased. Notably, a significant predictive effect of NLR on the clinical outcome was detected in HCC patients treated with sorafenib compared to those treated with tivantinib.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study reported promising predictive biomarkers for HCC patients and notably indicated that HCC patients with a lower baseline NLR and PLR may have a better response to sorafenib than those with higher ones. Further large-scale prospective studies are required to determine the optimal NLR and PLR cutoff values, which are important for identifying the dominant populations for sorafenib treatment.

Prognostic role of tumor mutation burden in hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy

BACKGROUND AND AIM

This study aimed to assess the potential relationship between tumor mutation burden (TMB) and the recurrence risk of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) after curative resection and tried to develop a reliable TMB based nomogram.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted in 128 patients (40 patients suffered from a recurrence of HCC) who had received radical hepatectomy by the same surgical team. A nomogram model was constructed using the R and EmpowerStats software.

RESULTS

TMB was not associated with maximum tumor size and the presence of microvascular invasion (MVI). In the whole population or subgroups, the recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was significantly lower in the TMB high group. In multivariate analysis, TMB (hazard ratio [HR], 10.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.03-20.31; P < .001), large tumor diameter (HR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.51-5.63; P = .001), presence of MVI (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.03-3.65; P = .042) were independent predictors of RFS. The predictive power of the nomogram integrating TMB, tumor size and MVI was higher than model only incorporating tumor size and MVI.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated for the first time that higher TMB was associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC who had received curative resection, and a TMB based nomogram model had a well predictive performance for RFS in this population.

Developments in predictive biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and the third largest cause of cancer-relateddeaths worldwide. Potentially curative treatments (surgical resection, radiofrequency or liver transplantation) are only available for few patients, while transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or systemic agents are the best treatments for intermediate and advanced stage disease. The identification of markers that allow us to choose the best treatment for the patient is urgent.Areas covered: In this review we summarize the potential biological markers to predict the efficacy of all treatment available in patients with HCC and discuss anew biomarker with ahigher potential of success in the next future.Expert opinion: HCC is aheterogeneous disease. Tumors are heterogeneous in terms of genetic alteration,with spatial heterogeneity in cellular density, necrosis and angiogenesis.This heterogeneity may affect prognosis and treatment. Tumor heterogeneity can be difficult to quantify with traditional imaging due to subjective assessment of images; the same for sampling biopsy, which evaluates only asmall part of the tumor. We think that combining multi-OMICSwith radiomics represents apromising strategy for evaluating tumor heterogenicity and for identifying biomarkers of response and prognosis.

Improved survival prediction and comparison of prognostic models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib

BACKGROUND

The 'Prediction Of Survival in Advanced Sorafenib-treated HCC' (PROSASH) model addressed the heterogeneous survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib in clinical trials but requires validation in daily clinical practice. This study aimed to validate, compare and optimize this model for survival prediction.

METHODS

Patients treated with sorafenib for HCC at five tertiary European centres were retrospectively staged according to the PROSASH model. In addition, the optimized PROSASH-II model was developed using the data of four centres (training set) and tested in an independent dataset. These models for overall survival (OS) were then compared with existing prognostic models.

RESULTS

The PROSASH model was validated in 445 patients, showing clear differences between the four risk groups (OS 16.9-4.6 months). A total of 920 patients (n = 615 in training set, n = 305 in validation set) were available to develop PROSASH-II. This optimized model incorporated fewer and less subjective parameters: the serum albumin, bilirubin and alpha-foetoprotein, and macrovascular invasion, extrahepatic spread and largest tumour size on imaging. Both PROSASH and PROSASH-II showed improved discrimination (C-index 0.62 and 0.63, respectively) compared with existing prognostic scores (C-index ≤0.59).

CONCLUSIONS

In HCC patients treated with sorafenib, individualized prediction of survival and risk group stratification using baseline prognostic and predictive parameters with the PROSASH model was validated. The refined PROSASH-II model performed at least as good with fewer and more objective parameters. PROSASH-II can be used as a tool for tailored treatment of HCC in daily practice and to define pre-planned subgroups for future studies.

2019 Update of Indian National Association for Study of the Liver Consensus on Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India: The Puri II Recommendations

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure in patients with chronic liver disease in India. The Indian National Association for Study of the Liver (INASL) had published its first guidelines on diagnosis and management of HCC (The Puri Recommendations) in 2014, and these guidelines were very well received by the healthcare community involved in diagnosis and management of HCC in India and neighboring countries. However, since 2014, many new developments have taken place in the field of HCC diagnosis and management, hence INASL endeavored to update its 2014 consensus guidelines. A new Task Force on HCC was constituted that reviewed the previous guidelines as well as the recent developments in various aspects of HCC that needed to be incorporated in the new guidelines. A 2-day round table discussion was held on 5th and 6th May 2018 at Puri, Odisha, to discuss, debate, and finalize the revised consensus statements. Each statement of the guideline was graded according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation system with minor modifications. We present here the 2019 Update of INASL Consensus on Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in India: The Puri-2 Recommendations.

Age independent survival benefit for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without metastases at diagnosis: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of death worldwide and its incidence is expected to increase globally. Aim of this study was to assess whether the implementation of screening policies and the improvement of treatment options translated into a real-world survival benefit in HCC patients.

DESIGN

4078 patients diagnosed with HCC between 1998 and 2016 from the Munich Cancer Registry were analysed. Tumour characteristics and outcome were analysed by time period and according to age and presence of metastases at diagnosis. Overall survival (OS) was analysed using Kaplan-Meier method and relative survival (RS) was computed for cancer-specific survival. Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to control for prognostic variables.

RESULTS

While incidence of HCC remained substantially stable, tumours were diagnosed at increasingly earlier stages, although the median age at diagnosis increased. The 3 years RS in HCC improved from 19.8% in 1998-2002, 22.4% in 2003-2007, 30.6% in 2008-2012 up to 31.0% in 2013-2016. Median OS increased from 6 months in 1998-2002 to 12 months in 2008-2016. However, analysis according to the metastatic status showed that survival improved only in patients without metastases at diagnosis whereas the prognosis of patients with metastatic disease remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION

These real-world data show that, in contrast to the current assumptions, the incidence of HCC did not increase in a representative German region. Earlier diagnosis, likely related to the implementation of screening programmes, translated into an increasing employment of effective therapeutic options and a clear survival benefit in patients without metastases at diagnosis, irrespective of age.

REFLECT-a phase 3 trial comparing efficacy and safety of lenvatinib to sorafenib for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: an analysis of Japanese subset

BACKGROUND

A phase 3, multinational, randomized, non-inferiority trial (REFLECT) compared the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib (LEN) and sorafenib (SOR) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). LEN had an effect on overall survival (OS) compared to SOR, statistically confirmed by non-inferiority [OS: median = 13.6 months vs. 12.3 months; hazard ratio (HR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-1.06], and demonstrated statistically significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and the objective response rate (ORR) in the overall population. The results of a subset analysis that evaluated the efficacy and safety of LEN and SOR in the Japanese population are reported.

METHODS

The intent-to-treat population enrolled in Japan was analyzed.

RESULTS

Of 954 patients in the overall population, 168 Japanese patients were assigned to the LEN arm (N = 81) or the SOR arm (N = 87). Median OS was 17.6 months for LEN vs. 17.8 months for SOR (HR 0.90; 95% CI 0.62-1.29). LEN showed statistically significant improvements over SOR in PFS (7.2 months vs. 4.6 months) and ORR (29.6% vs. 6.9%). The relative dose intensity of LEN and SOR in the Japanese population was lower than in the overall population. Frequently observed, related adverse events included palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (PPES), hypertension, decreased appetite, and proteinuria in the LEN arm, and PPES, hypertension, diarrhea, and alopecia in the SOR arm.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy and safety of LEN in the Japanese population were similar to those in the overall population of REFLECT. With manageable adverse events, LEN is a new treatment option for Japanese patients with uHCC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION ID

ClinicalTrials.gov. No. NCT01761266.

Review article: new therapeutic interventions for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) portends a poor prognosis; however recent advances in first-line and second-line treatment options should yield significant improvements in survival.

AIM

To summarize the evolving landscape of treatment options for patients with advanced HCC.

METHODS

We reviewed published clinical trials conducted in patients with advanced HCC published in PubMed or presented at national conferences.

RESULTS

Sorafenib was approved for treatment of unresectable HCC in 2007 and remained the only therapy with proven survival benefit in advanced HCC for several years. Lenvatinib, another tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, was recently shown to have non-inferior survival vs sorafenib and is another first-line treatment option. The tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, regorafenib and cabozantinib, were shown to significantly improve survival in the second-line setting after sorafenib failure. Ramucirumab, a VEGF inhibitor, can also improve survival in the second-line setting among patients with AFP ≥ 400 ng/dL. Phase II data highlight potential durable objective responses with immune checkpoint inhibitors, prompting conditional FDA approval of nivolumab and pembrolizumab in the second-line setting; however, recent phase III data have failed to demonstrate improved survival compared to other treatment options. Ongoing trials are evaluating combination immune checkpoint inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibitors with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors or VEGF inhibitors in hopes of further increasing objective responses and overall survival in this patient population.

CONCLUSION

There are several first-line and second-line therapeutic options available for patients with advanced HCC. Further studies are needed to determine how best to select between and sequence the growing number of therapeutic options.

Dual Modality Radiation With External Beam Radiation Therapy and Transarterial Radioembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Gross Vascular Invasion

OBJECTIVES

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and gross vascular invasion (GVI) have poor outcomes with systemic therapy such as sorafenib. Both external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) have been utilized for this patient population. We sought to compare outcomes using dual modality radiation (EBRT+TARE) versus EBRT alone in patients with HCC and GVI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 2011 and 2017, 45 patients with HCC and GVI were treated with EBRT±TARE at our institution. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed and compared using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the impact of the variables stage, etiology of cirrhosis, Child-Pugh (CP) score, and Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) on PFS and OS.

RESULTS

Patient characteristics were well-balanced except for KPS (80 vs. 90) and CP score. Median OS for patients receiving EBRT+TARE was 263 days (95% confidence interval [CI]: 167, -) versus 193 days (95% CI: 51, 262) for EBRT alone (P=0.049). However, this did not hold up on MVA. When EBRT and TARE were delivered within 2 months as planned (n=12), median PFS was 218 days (95% CI: 44, -) for dual modality radiation versus 63 days (95% CI: 38, 137) for EBRT alone (P=0.048). When EBRT and TARE were delivered within 6 months, the difference in PFS was no longer seen (P=NS), because some patients received TARE as a salvage therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual modality radiation with EBRT and TARE may be associated with improved OS in patients with HCC and GVI. Dual modality radiation may be associated with improved PFS in patients with HCC and GVI compared with EBRT alone when EBRT and TARE are delivered within 2 months of each other as part of a planned dual modality treatment strategy. However, since this is a retrospective study with inherent selection bias, these findings need further validation in a prospective clinical trial for patients with HCC and GVI.

Tumor burden and liver function in HCC patient selection for selective internal radiation therapy: SARAH post-hoc study

Aim: To determine whether a liver tumor burden ≤25% and well-preserved liver function (albumin-bilirubin grade 1) are appropriate criteria for identifying patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who may benefit from selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) using ⁹⁰yttrium resin microspheres versus sorafenib. Patients & methods: Post-hoc analysis of patients in the intention-to-treat population of the SARAH trial (SIRT vs sorafenib) with ≤25% tumor burden and albumin-bilirubin grade 1. Primary end point: overall survival. Results: Median overall survival was 21.9 months (95% CI: 15.2-32.5, n = 37) with SIRT and 17.0 months (11.6-20.8, n = 48) with sorafenib (hazard ratios: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.44-1.21; p = 0.22). Conclusion: A combination of good liver function and low tumor burden may be relevant for selection of hepatocellular carcinoma patients for SIRT.

Emerging trends in modeling human liver disease in vitro

The liver executes 500+ functions, such as protein synthesis, xenobiotic metabolism, bile production, and metabolism of carbohydrates/fats/proteins. Such functions can be severely degraded by drug-induced liver injury, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and viral infections, and hepatocellular carcinoma. These liver diseases, which represent a significant global health burden, are the subject of novel drug discovery by the pharmaceutical industry via the use of in vitro models of the human liver, given significant species-specific differences in disease profiles and drug outcomes. Isolated primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are a physiologically relevant cell source to construct such models; however, these cells display a rapid decline in the phenotypic function within conventional 2-dimensional monocultures. To address such a limitation, several engineered platforms have been developed such as high-throughput cellular microarrays, micropatterned cocultures, self-assembled spheroids, bioprinted tissues, and perfusion devices; many of these platforms are being used to coculture PHHs with liver nonparenchymal cells to model complex cell cross talk in liver pathophysiology. In this perspective, we focus on the utility of representative platforms for mimicking key features of liver dysfunction in the context of chronic liver diseases and liver cancer. We further discuss pending issues that will need to be addressed in this field moving forward. Collectively, these in vitro liver disease models are being increasingly applied toward the development of new therapeutics that display an optimal balance of safety and efficacy, with a focus on expediting development, reducing high costs, and preventing harm to patients.