Role of intrahepatic tumor control in the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and extrahepatic metastases

Protocol of the IMPACT study: randomized, multicenter, phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy of immunotherapy (Atezolizumab) plus anti-VEGF therapy (Bevacizumab) in combination with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab is recommended as a first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). A subgroup analysis of the IMbrave150 trial showed shorter overall survival (OS) in uHCC patients with stable disease (SD) than patients with complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. Improving OS in patients with SD is an unmet medical need. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) may enhance treatment efficacy by controlling intrahepatic lesions and activating anti-tumor immunity. The IMPACT study aims to evaluate whether combining atezolizumab plus bevacizumab with TACE improves OS in patients with SD.

METHODS

IMPACT is a multicenter, phase 3 study being conducted in Japan, recruiting uHCC patients aged ≥ 18 years with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A (single tumor ≥ 5 cm only, TACE unsuitable), stage B (TACE unsuitable) or stage C (excluding Vp3 or 4), Child-Pugh A liver function, and no prior systemic therapy. After 12 weeks of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment as induction therapy, patients are being divided into two cohorts based on response: a randomized cohort for patients who achieve SD, or an atezolizumab plus bevacizumab followed by curative conversion (ABC-conversion) cohort for patients who achieve CR or PR. Patients in the randomized cohort are receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and intrahepatic control TACE (Group A), or continuing atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Group B). Patients in the ABC-conversion cohort are receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. All cohorts can be considered for curative conversion therapies for residual tumors if these therapies are considered curative, in the patient's best interests, and deemed necessary by the investigator. The primary endpoint is OS for the randomized cohort and conversion rate for the ABC-conversion cohort. Secondary endpoints in both cohorts include progression-free survival, objective response rate, duration of response, time to CR, and safety. The study is expected to last 6.5 years from June 2023.

DISCUSSION

IMPACT is evaluating the efficacy of combination therapy with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and TACE, as well as exploring the efficacy of curative conversion therapy. The results should contribute to establishing a response-guided treatment strategy for uHCC by determining optimal treatment according to the therapeutic effect of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT), identifier: jRCTs051230037. Registered 13 June 2023.

PROTOCOL VERSION

8 May 2024; version 1.4.

Modulating lipid metabolism by nanoparticles (NPs)-mediated ACSL3 silencing to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma growth and metastasis

Abnormal lipid metabolism plays an important role in the development and progression of almost all cancer types, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the liver is the central organ for lipid storage and metabolism. However, the underlying mechanisms are complex and have not been completely elucidated. By analyzing the proteomic sequencing and single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) results of HCC patients, we herein reveal that acyl-CoA synthase long chain family member 3 (ACSL3) is predominately expressed in HCC cells and high ACSL3 expression is positively correlated with abnormal lipid metabolism and predicts the poor prognosis of HCC patients. Mechanically, ACSL3 could promote the synthesis of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), which could activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) pathway and enhance the transcription of downstream lipid metabolism-associated genes, thereby promoting HCC growth and metastasis via accelerating lipid catabolism and anabolism. Considering the lack of specific inhibitor for ACSL3, we further develop an endosomal pH-responsive nanoparticle (NP) platform for systemic delivery of ACSL3 siRNA (siACSL3) and demonstrate its ability to inhibit HCC tumor growth and metastasis. Our findings indicate that ACSL3 could be used to predict the prognosis of HCC patients and NPs-mediated ACSL3 silencing could be a promising strategy for effective HCC therapy.

Immune Microenvironment and the Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibition in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Systemic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has progressed with the development of multiple kinases, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, targeting cancer growth and angiogenesis. Additionally, the efficacy of sorafenib, regorafenib, lenvatinib, ramucirumab, and cabozantinib has been demonstrated in various clinical trials, and they are now widely used in clinical practice. Furthermore, the development of effective immune checkpoint inhibitors has progressed in systemic therapy for unresectable HCC, and atezolizumab + bevacizumab (atezo/bev) therapy and durvalumab + tremelimumab therapy are now recommended as first-line treatment. Atezo/bev therapy, which combines an anti-programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 antibody with an anti-VEGF antibody, is the first cancer immunotherapy to demonstrate efficacy against unresectable HCC. With the increasing popularity of these treatments, VEGF inhibition is attracting attention from the perspective of its anti-angiogenic effects and impact on the cancer-immune cycle. In this review, we outline the role of VEGF in the tumor immune microenvironment and cancer immune cycle in HCC and outline the potential immune regulatory mechanisms of VEGF. Furthermore, we consider the potential significance of the dual inhibition of angiogenesis and immune-related molecules by VEGF, and ultimately aim to clarify the latest treatment strategies that maximizes efficacy.

Current Treatment Paradigm and Approach to Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common forms of primary liver cancer worldwide. Herein, we present a review article that provides a broad overview of the current landscape of HCC, including the etiology, potential risk factors, and molecular pathways that can serve as potential therapeutic targets. The risk factors tend to vary depending on the geographic distribution; hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis and HCC occur more frequently in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, whereas metabolic disorders are the culprits in Western Europe and the Americas. The exact molecular alterations that drive hepatocarcinogenesis have yet to be elucidated; however, a complex interplay exists between oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. Diagnostic modalities such as tri-phasic MRI or CT also have distinct patterns for HCC, which aid significantly in diagnosis. Furthermore, the review aims to highlight treatment strategies, including transplantation, locoregional radiation therapies, and interventional radiological techniques such as chemotherapy or radioembolization. Finally, systemic therapies will be discussed, taking advantage of molecular pathways that influence cellular proliferation and survival as well as immunotherapy.

Efficacy of Surgical Intervention in Treating Pathological Fractures of the Upper Extremity: A Retrospective Case Series

BACKGROUND

We conduct a retrospective analysis of patients with pathological fractures resulting from upper extremity malignancies, focusing on the evaluation of treatment strategies employed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied 10 patients with metastatic bone tumors of the upper extremities. The study variables included tumor site, primary pathology, duration from the first diagnosis of the primary lesion to the occurrence of the pathological fracture, use of bone-modifying drugs, surgical technique, adjuvant therapy, postoperative functional assessment, Katagiri's score, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA-PS), outcome, and correlations between the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score.

RESULTS

The sites involved were the humerus and radius in eight and two patients, respectively. Primary pathologies were liver cancer in three patients, lung cancer and renal cancer in two patients each, and one patient each with multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma, and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Nine patients experienced pathological fractures, and one had an impending fracture. The median time from primary tumor diagnosis to fracture was 12.5 months. Bone-modifying drugs were administered in all cases. Surgical procedures included intramedullary nails in seven patients and plate fixation in two. Chemotherapy served as adjuvant therapy in nine cases. The mean MSTS score was 26.5, and Katagiri's score averaged 6. The median ASA-PS stood at 2. Outcomes showed seven patients alive with disease and three dead from disease. A significant association between the ECOG-PS and MSTS score was not observed.

CONCLUSION

Pathological fractures caused by malignant bone tumors of the upper extremity should be treated proactively with surgery regardless of prognosis.

Role of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastases in the era of advancing systemic therapy

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS

Systemic therapy is the current standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis (EHM). However, some patients with HCC and EHM undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to manage intrahepatic tumors. Herein, we aimed to explore the appropriateness of TACE in patients with HCC and EHM in an era of advanced systemic therapy.

METHODS

This study analyzed 248 consecutive patients with HCC and EHM (median age, 58.5 years; male, 83.5%; Child-Pugh A, 88.7%) who received TACE or systemic therapy (83 sorafenib, 49 lenvatinib, 28 immunotherapy-based) between January 2018 and January 2021.

RESULTS

Among the patients, 196 deaths were recorded during a median follow-up of 8.9 months. Patients who received systemic therapy had a higher albumin-bilirubin grade, elevated tumor markers, an increased number of intrahepatic tumors, larger-sized tumors, and more frequent portal vein invasion than those who underwent TACE. TACE was associated with longer median overall survival (OS) than sorafenib (15.1 vs. 4.7 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.1-22.2 vs. 3.7-7.3; hazard ratio [HR], 1.97; P<0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, TACE was associated with statistically similar survival outcomes to those of lenvatinib (median OS, 8.0 months; 95% CI, 6.5-11.0; HR, 1.21; P=0.411) and immunotherapies (median OS, 14.3 months; 95% CI, 9.5-27.0; HR, 1.01; P=0.973), demonstrating survival benefits equivalent to these treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HCC and EHM, TACE can provide a survival benefit comparable to that of newer systemic therapies. Accordingly, TACE remains a valuable option in this era of new systemic therapies.

Evolution of Systemic Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Changing Treatment Strategies and Concepts

Systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has undergone substantial advancements. With the advent of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (ATZ/BEV) combination therapy, followed by durvalumab plus tremelimumab, the era of immunotherapy for HCC has commenced. The emergence of systemic treatment with high response rates has led to improvements in overall survival while enabling conversion to radical surgical resection in some patients with HCC. In patients with intermediate-stage HCC, new treatment strategies combining systemic treatment and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) are under development in clinical trials. Moreover, the addition of local therapies, such as TACE, to systemic treatment according to the treatment effect could achieve a certain percentage of complete response. In the IMbrave050 trial, the efficacy of ATZ/BEV combination therapy was validated in patients predicted to have a high risk of recurrence, especially in those who had undergone radical surgery or radiofrequency ablation for HCC. Therefore, systemic treatment for HCC is entering a new phase for all disease stages. The objective of this review is to organize the current position of systemic therapy for each HCC stage and discuss the development of new treatment methods and strategies, with a focus on regimens incorporating immune checkpoint inhibitors, along with future prospects.

Spontaneous rupture of splenic hilar lymph node metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

Spontaneous rupture of a primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequently observed and fatal complication. However, the rupture of lymph node (LN) metastases from HCC is rare. A 79 year-old male with hepatitis B underwent three liver resections for HCC. Two years and 6 months after the last liver resection, enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a nodule with a diameter of 3 cm in the lower pole of the spleen. Splenic metastasis of HCC was suspected, and splenectomy was scheduled. During our hospital stay for a urinary tract infection before the scheduled operation, he complained of acute left-sided abdominal pain, and CT showed intra-abdominal hemorrhage due to rupture of the splenic tumor. Emergency splenectomy was performed, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Histopathological examination revealed a poorly differentiated HCC in the lower splenic pole lesion, which contained LN structures. The ruptured lesion was diagnosed as splenic hilar LN metastasis of HCC. Although laparoscopic partial liver resection was performed for intrahepatic recurrence, and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy was administered for peritoneal metastases, the patient was alive 25 months after the splenectomy. Our case suggests that emergency surgery for LN metastatic rupture can achieve hemostasis and lead to improved survival outcomes.

Survival Prediction Model for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Extrahepatic Metastasis Based on XGBoost Algorithm

Purpose

Accurate estimation of survival is of utmost importance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and extrahepatic metastasis. This study aimed to develop a survival prediction model using real-world data.

Patients and Methods

A total of 993 patients with treatment-naïve HCC and extrahepatic metastasis were included from 13 Korean hospitals between 2013 and 2018. Patients were randomly divided into a training set (70.0%) and a test set (30.0%). The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was applied to predict survival at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 60.8 ± 12.3 years, and 85.4% were male. During the study period, 96.1% died, and median survival duration was 4.0 months. In multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh class, number and size of tumors, presence of vascular or bile duct invasion, lung or bone metastasis, serum AFP, and primary anti-HCC treatment were associated with survival. We constructed a model for survival prediction based on the relevant variables, which is available online (https://metastatic-hcc.onrender.com/form). Our model demonstrated high performance, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.778, 0.794, and 0.784 at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Feature importance analysis indicated that the primary anti-HCC treatment had the highest importance.

Conclusion

We developed a model to predict the survival of patients with HCC and extrahepatic metastasis, which demonstrated good discriminative ability. Our model would be helpful for personalized treatment and for improving the prognosis.

Efficacy of Lenvatinib Combined with Transcatheter Intra-Arterial Therapies for Patients with Advanced-Stage of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matching

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lenvatinib (LEN) combined with transcatheter intra-arterial therapy (TIT) for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after propensity score matching (PSM). This retrospective study enrolled 115 patients with advanced-stage HCC who received LEN treatment. The patients were categorized into the LEN combined with TIT group (n = 30) or the LEN monotherapy group (n = 85). After PSM, 38 patients (LEN + TIT group, n = 19; LEN monotherapy group, n = 19) were analyzed. The median overall survival (OS) in the LEN + TIT group was significantly higher than that in the LEN monotherapy group (median survival time (MST): 28.1 months vs. 11.6 months, p = 0.014). The OS in the LEN combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and LEN combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy groups was significantly higher than that in the LEN monotherapy group (MST 20.0 vs. 11.6 months, 30.2 vs. 11.6 months, p = 0.048, and p = 0.029, respectively). Independent factors associated with OS were alpha-fetoprotein and LEN combined with TIT. The indications for LEN combined with TIT were age <75 years and modified albumin bilirubin (m-ALBI) grade 1. We concluded that LEN combined with TIT may improve prognosis compared with LEN monotherapy in patients with advanced-stage HCC.

Efficacy of the Combination of Systemic Sequential Therapy and Locoregional Therapy in the Long-Term Survival of Patients with BCLC Stage C Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of a combination of systemic sequential therapy and locoregional therapy on the long-term survival of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Sixty-four consecutive patients with intrahepatic target nodules who had initially received systemic therapy (lenvatinib and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab) were reviewed. The clinical impact of the combined use of systemic sequential therapy and locoregional therapy was evaluated by determining overall survival (OS). The combined use of systemic sequential therapy with more than two agents and locoregional treatment was defined as multidisciplinary combination therapy (MCT), while only systemic sequential therapy and repeated locoregional-treatment was defined as a single treatment procedure (STP).

RESULTS

R0 resection, MCT, and STP resulted in significantly better OS compared with no additional treatment (median OS, not reached vs. 18.2 months and 12.6 vs. 8.1 months, respectively; p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the use of R0 resection and MCT were associated with better OS (hazard ratio [HR]; 0.053, p = 0.006 and 0.189, p < 0.001, respectively) compared with that for STP (HR; 0.279, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

MCT is may effective in patients with BCLC stage C HCC and intrahepatic target nodules who have previously received systemic therapy-based treatment.

Safety, efficacy, and survival of drug-eluting beads-transarterial chemoembolization vs. conventional-transarterial chemoembolization in advanced HCC patients with main portal vein tumor thrombus

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy, overall survival (OS) and safety of drug-eluting beads-TACE (DEB-TACE) and C-TACE as initial treatment in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with main portal vein tumor thrombus (mPVTT).

METHODS

The medical records of consecutive advanced HCC patients with mPVTT who underwent initial DEB-TACE or C-TACE from September 2015 to October 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Treatment crossover was allowed in this retrospective research. The adverse events, disease control rate (DCR), time to tumor progression (TTP) and OS of patients who underwent DEB-TACE were compared with those of patients who underwent C-TACE.

RESULTS

Eighty-three patients were included: 42 patients in DEB-TACE group and 41 patients in C-TACE group. DEB-TACE could be safely performed in HCC patients with mPVTT, and they gained a better DCR than those submitted to the C-TACE (76.2% vs. 53.7%, P = 0.031), which might have resulted in longer TTP (median TTP: 9.0 months vs. 3.0 months, P < 0.001). Furthermore, DEB-TACE showed significant OS benefits compared with C-TACE (median OS: 12.0 months vs. 5.0 months, P < 0.001). DEB-TACE, absence of arterioportal shunts (APS), leisons with capsular non-infiltration were found to be independent prognostic factors for better OS. Furthermore, subgroup analysis proved that patients with good DCR gained longer OS in DEB-TACE group.

CONCLUSIONS

DEB-TACE could be safely performed and improve the DCR of HCC patients with mPVTT, which resulting in longer TTP and OS, compared with C-TACE.

Development and validation of a diagnostic and prognostic model for lung metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma: a study based on the SEER database

Background

Lung metastasis (LM) is a common occurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and it is associated with a poorer prognosis compared to HCC patients without LM. This study aimed to identify predictors and prognostic factors for LM in HCC patients as well as develop diagnostic and prognostic nomograms specifically tailored for LM in HCC patients.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on HCC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, covering the period from 2010 to 2015. The study employed multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors associated with LM in HCC patients. Additionally, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was utilized to investigate prognostic factors for HCC patients with LM. Subsequently, two nomograms were developed to predict the risk and prognosis of LM in HCC patients. The performance of the nomograms was evaluated through calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Result

This retrospective study included a total of 5,934 patients diagnosed with HCC, out of which 174 patients were diagnosed with LM. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, several independent risk factors for LM in HCC patients were identified, including tumor grade, tumor size, American Joint Committee for Cancer (AJCC) T stage, and AJCC N stage. Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that tumor grade, delayed treatment, surgery, and radiation were independent prognostic factors for HCC patients with LM. To assess the predictive power of the developed nomograms, calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed. The findings demonstrated that the nomograms exhibited satisfactory performance in both the training and validation sets. Additionally, the prognostic nomogram effectively stratified HCC patients with LM into low- and high-risk groups for mortality.

Conclusion

These two nomograms optimally predicted the risk and prognosis of LM in HCC patients. Both nomograms have satisfactory performance. This would help clinicians to make accurate clinical decisions.

Korean Liver Cancer Association (KLCA) and National Cancer Center (NCC) Korea. 2022 KLCA-NCC Korea practice guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Well-preserved liver function enhances the clinical impact of curative-intent subsequent treatment during lenvatinib treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical impact of curative-intent subsequent treatment on overall prognosis in lenvatinib-treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS

Eighty-three consecutive patients with intrahepatic target nodules who received lenvatinib were reviewed. The clinical impact of curative-intent subsequent treatments was investigated through analysis of overall survival (OS) according to pathological deterioration stratified by mALBI grade.

RESULTS

In patients with mALBI grade 1 and 2a liver function, R0 resection and lenvatinib-transarterial chemoembolization (lenvatinib-TACE) sequential therapy resulted in significantly better OS compared with other, non-curative-intent subsequent therapy and lack of additional treatment (median OS, 37.6 vs 29.0 months and 17.1 vs 8.9 months, respectively; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that use of R0 resection and lenvatinib-TACE sequential therapy were associated with better OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.021; P < 0.001 and 0.108; P < 0.001) compared with other, non-curative-intent subsequent treatment (HR 0.256; P = 0.010). In contrast, in patients with mALBI grade 2b liver function, multivariate analysis confirmed higher treatment efficacy for non-curative-intent subsequent treatment with respect to OS (HR 0.041; P < 0.001) compared with R0 resection and lenvatinib-TACE sequential therapy (HR 0.057; P = 0.027 and 0.063; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Curative-intent subsequent treatment is more useful for HCC patients with better liver function (mALBI grade 1 and 2a) and intrahepatic target nodules who have received lenvatini b-based treatment.

ARHGEF37 overexpression promotes extravasation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via directly activating Cdc42

Background

The extravasation capability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells plays a vital role in distant metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism of extravasation in HCC lung metastasis remains largely unclear.

Methods

The expression of ARHGEF37 in human HCC specimens and HCC cell lines was examined by quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses. The biological roles and mechanisms of ARHGEF37/Cdc42 in promoting lung metastasis were investigated in vitro and in vivo using cell lines, patient samples, xenograft models.

Results

In the current study, we found that Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 37 (ARHGEF37) was upregulated in human HCC samples and was associated with tumor invasiveness, pulmonary metastasis and poor prognosis. Overexpressing ARHGEF37 significantly enhanced the extravasation and metastatic capability of HCC cells via facilitating tumor cell adhesion to endothelial cells and trans-endothelial migration. Mechanistically, ARHGEF37 directly interacted with and activated Cdc42 to promote the invadopodia formation in HCC cells, which consequently disrupted the interaction between endothelial cells and pericytes. Importantly, treatment with ZCL278, a specific inhibitor of Cdc42, dramatically inhibited the attachment of ARHGEF37-overexpressing HCC cells to endothelial cells, and the adherence and extravasation in the lung alveoli, resulting in suppression of lung metastasis in mice.

Conclusion

Our findings provide a new insight into the underlying mechanisms on the ARHGEF37 overexpression-mediated extravasation and pulmonary metastasis of HCC cells, and provided a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of HCC pulmonary metastasis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02441-y.

2022 KLCA-NCC Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

2022 KLCA-NCC Korea practice guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cancer among men in South Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle and old age. The current practice guidelines will provide useful and sensible advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 49 experts in the fields of hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology from the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2018 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions. These guidelines provide useful information and direction for all clinicians, trainees, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Bioinformatic Analysis and In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments Reveal That Fibrillarin Participates in the Promotion of Lung Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Lung metastasis, the most frequent metastatic pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma, is an important contributor to poor prognosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. Aiming to explore these mechanisms, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was firstly used to find hub genes related to lung metastasis. Then, we obtained 67 genes related to lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma which were mainly related to ribosomal pathways and functions, and a protein interaction network analysis identified that fibrillarin (FBL) might be an important hub gene. Furthermore, we found that FBL is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and that its high expression increases the rate of lung metastasis and indicates a poor prognosis. Knockdown of FBL could significantly reduce proliferation and stemness as well as inhibiting the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, we found that FBL might be involved in the regulation of MYC and E2F pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, we demonstrated that the knockdown of FBL could suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth in vivo. In conclusion, ribosome-biogenesis-related proteins, especially Fibrillarin, play important roles in lung metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chinese expert consensus on conversion therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (2021 edition)

Recent advances in systemic and locoregional treatments for patients with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have resulted in improved response rates. This has provided an opportunity for selected patients with initially unresectable HCC to achieve adequate tumor downstaging to undergo surgical resection, a 'conversion therapy' strategy. However, conversion therapy is a new approach to the treatment of HCC and its practice and treatment protocols are still being developed. Review the evidence for conversion therapy in HCC and develop consensus statements to guide clinical practice. Evidence review: Many research centers in China have accumulated significant experience implementing HCC conversion therapy. Preliminary findings and data have shown that conversion therapy represents an important strategy to maximize the survival of selected patients with intermediate stage to advanced HCC; however, there are still many urgent clinical and scientific challenges for this therapeutic strategy and its related fields. In order to summarize and learn from past experience and review current challenges, the Chinese Expert Consensus on Conversion Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2021 Edition) was developed based on a review of preliminary experience and clinical data from Chinese and non-Chinese studies in this field and combined with recommendations for clinical practice. Sixteen consensus statements on the implementation of conversion therapy for HCC were developed. The statements generated in this review are based on a review of clinical evidence and real clinical experience and will help guide future progress in conversion therapy for patients with HCC.

EGFR/MET promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by stabilizing tumor cells and resisting to RTKs inhibitors in circulating tumor microemboli

The receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) family is well-recognized as vital targets for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma cancer (HCC) clinically, whereas the survival benefit of target therapy sorafenib is not satisfactory for liver cancer patients due to metastasis. EGFR and MET are two molecules of the RTK family that were related to the survival time of liver cancer patients and resistance to targeted therapy in clinical reports. However, the mechanism and clinical therapeutic value of EGFR/MET in HCC metastasis are still not completely clarified. The study confirmed that EGFR/MET was highly expressed in HCC cells and tissues and the phosphorylation was stable after metastasis. The expression of EGFR/MET was up-regulated in circulating tumor microemboli (CTM) to accelerate IL-8 production and resistance to the lethal effect of leukocytes. Meanwhile, highly expressed EGFR/MET effectively regulated the Ras/MAPK pathway and stabilized suspended HCC cells by facilitating proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Moreover, EGFR/MET promoted phosphorylation of hetero-RTKs, which was dependent on high-energy phosphoric acid compounds rather than their direct interactions. In conclusion, highly expressed EGFR/MET could be used in CTM identification and suitable for preventing metastasis of HCC in clinical practice.

Complete response to local therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with lung metastasis: a case report

The concept of oligometastasis is widely accepted for various types of solid tumors; accordingly, better outcomes can be anticipated with aggressive local interventions. The treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis is systemic therapy. However, treatment responses to systemic therapy are poor. Recently, a small number of metastatic cancers (oligometastasis) have been controlled by local therapy rather than systemic therapy. Our study reports a case of a 66-year-old male patient with advanced HCC with lung metastasis, which was treated with local therapy. There were less than four metastases in the lungs, which were treated with wedge resection, radiofrequency, and radiation therapy. He repeatedly underwent local therapy for lung oligometastasis and locoregional therapy for intrahepatic HCC rather than systemic therapy; control by local therapy was possible as his liver function was preserved with Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A.

Emerging Trends in the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Radiological Perspective

This is a narrative review of various treatment modalities for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a focus on recent updates in radiological treatments, as well as novel treatment concepts related to immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination therapies with locoregional treatments. Interventional radiologists have made efforts toward developing alternative and/or combination treatments for first-line systemic treatment of patients with advanced HCC. Locoregional treatments with or without systemic therapy may be considered in the selected patients. Various treatment modalities for advanced HCC are emerging, and several randomized controlled trials, including those of combination treatments with immunotherapy, are ongoing.

Regorafenib combined with transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a real-world study

BACKGROUND

The benefits and tolerability of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with regorafenib as a second-line therapy has not been reported for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to explore the benefits and tolerability of TACE combined with second-line regorafenib in patients with unresectable advanced HCC and failure to first-line treatment.

METHODS

This was a multicenter retrospective study of patients with progression after first-line sorafenib and/or lenvatinib between 01/2019 and 04/2020 at four tertiary hospitals in China. The patients were treated with TACE. Then, 5-7 days after the first TACE, the patients started taking regorafenib for 3 weeks every 4-week cycle. The overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs) were observed.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 5.6 (range 0.7, 17.0) months. The median age was 60 (range 35, 79) years. There were 32 (84.2%) males. The patients underwent a median of three TACE sessions (range 1-13). The initial doses of regorafenib were 20 mg/d (n = 1, 2.6%), 80 mg/d (n = 10, 26.3%), 120 mg/d (n = 15, 39.5%), and 160 mg/d (n = 11, 28.9%). The incidence of grade 3/4 AEs was 15.8%. Two patients stopped regorafenib due to AEs. The median OS was 14.3 months. The median PFS and TTP were 9.1 (95% CI 4.0, 14.2) and 9.1 (95% CI 5.5, 12.8) months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides real-world evidence indicating that regorafenib combined with TACE was beneficial and tolerable in patients with unresectable HCC. Additional prospective large-scale studies are required for confirmation.

Treatment strategies for hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastasis

Extrahepatic metastasis (EHM) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increasingly been seen due to improved survival with effective management of intrahepatic lesions. The presence of EHM indicates an advanced stage of HCC, for which systemic therapy serves as the standard treatment modality. Since the approval of Sorafenib as the first systemic agent in 2007, it took almost a decade to show its efficacy in both first and further lines of setting until the landscape of systemic drugs was finally expanded. Moreover, with inspiring results from immunotherapy trials in HCC, it appears that the introduction of immunotherapy may lead to an evolution in the portfolio of HCC treatment. Although the locoregional approach in the management of EHM is not recommended for advanced-stage HCC, efforts have been made to demonstrate its efficacy in symptom relief and potential benefit for overall survival. This review provides a summary of recent updates of the systemic agents in the treatment of advanced HCC, with an emphasis on aggressive locoregional management of EHM by various treatment modalities.

Successful Transcatheter Arterial Embolization for Hemothorax from a Spontaneous Rupture of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis to the Chest Wall in an Elderly Patient

An 87-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presented with right-sided chest pain. Computed tomography revealed right bloody pleural effusion and an extravasation from an arterially enhanced mass in the right seventh posterior intercostal space. These findings indicated hemothorax from a rupture of HCC metastasis to the chest wall. Angiography of the intercostal arteries confirmed a hypervascular tumor, and transcatheter arterial embolization resulted in hemostasis. He was discharged with palliative care and remains alive after 9 months. Although hemothorax represents an unusual, life-threatening complication of HCC, our case suggests that transcatheter treatment can achieve hemostasis and a favorable survival even in elderly patients.

Hepatic Artery Infusion Chemotherapy Using Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, and Oxaliplatin versus Transarterial Chemoembolization as Initial Treatment for Locally Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matching Analysis

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with a modified fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX) regimen with that of transarterial chemoembolization as a locoregional treatment for patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

This retrospective study included adult patients with locally advanced HCC who received first-line treatment with either HAIC-mFOLFOX or conventional transarterial chemoembolization monotherapy from January 2015 to December 2016. The outcomes, including tumor response rates, evaluated via imaging assessment using the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors; overall survival; progression-free survival; and safety, were compared. The propensity score-matching methodology was used to reduce the influence of confounding factors on the outcomes.

RESULTS

The study included 131 patients with locally advanced HCC who underwent transarterial chemoembolization and 101 who received HAIC-mFOLFOX as initial treatment. After propensity score matching (n = 67 in each group), patients who received HAIC-mFOLFOX had a higher objective response rate (43.3% vs 13.4%, P = .001), longer median overall survival (13.9 vs 6.0 months, P < .001), and longer median progression-free survival (6.4 vs 2.8 months, P = .001) than those who underwent transarterial chemoembolization. The survival benefit with HAIC-mFOLFOX was strengthened in patients with HCC with vascular invasion (hazard ratio: 0.379; 95% confidence interval: 0.237-0.607). HAIC-mFOLFOX was associated with lower incidences of severe adverse events (8.9% vs 22.9%) and liver toxicity than transarterial chemoembolization.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with transarterial chemoembolization, HAIC-mFOLFOX is a potentially safer and more effective locoregional therapy for patients with locally advanced HCC.

Effectiveness of Transarterial Chemoembolization-First Treatment for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Background

Still in real-world practice, advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This study compared the therapeutic effectiveness of initial TACE treatment and initial sorafenib treatment in advanced HCC patients.

Patient and Methods

Advanced HCC patients initially treated with sorafenib or TACE were included in this study. Treatment crossover due to an unfavorable response to initial treatment was allowed. Propensity score (PS) matching was applied for balancing baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) and the secondary outcomes included tumor response.

Results

A total of 554 patients were included in this study: 85 were initially treated with sorafenib (the sorafenib-first group) and 469 with TACE (the TACE-first group). In the entire cohort, the TACE-first group was associated with lower risk of death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=0.75, P=0.04]. In the PS-matched cohort (85 patients per group), the TACE-first group showed longer OS than the sorafenib-first group in both univariable (HR=0.68, P=0.02) and multivariable analyses (adjusted HR=0.58, P=0.002). Specifically, within both the entire and the PS-matched cohorts, the TACE-first group showed longer OS in subgroups with major portal vein tumor thrombosis (HR=0.72, P=0.048; HR=0.52, P=0.003) or infiltrative HCC (HR=0.42, P<0.001; HR=0.30, P=0.004, respectively). The objective response rate was higher in the TACE-first group (29.3% vs 14.7%, P=0.03) within the PS-matched cohort.

Conclusion

For advanced HCC, initial TACE leads to longer OS with a more favorable tumor response than initial sorafenib treatment. Intrahepatic tumor control with initial locoregional therapy may be a potent strategy for advanced HCC.

Sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma provides better prognosis after liver transplantation than without liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Although sorafenib has been used to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the efficacy of sorafenib in patients with recurrent HCCs after liver transplantation (LT) has not been compared with that in patients without LT (non-LT).

METHODS

Between 2008 and 2019, a total of 832 consecutive HCC patients treated with sorafenib (790 in the non-LT group and 42 in the LT group) were enrolled. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were time-to-progression (TTP), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Treatment outcomes were assessed by multiple subgroup analyses and propensity-score matching (PSM).

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 152.5 days. The LT group was younger and had smaller intrahepatic HCC than the non-LT group. The LT group showed significantly better OS (16.8 vs. 7.1 months, p < 0.001), TTP, ORR and DCR than the non-LT group. The superior efficacy of sorafenib in the LT group was corroborated in multiple subgroup analyses stratified by metastasis, effective sorafenib maintenance dose, or Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A. LT was identified as an independent factor for favorable OS. Intrahepatic HCC was the strongest tumor-related factor for both OS and TTP and was significantly associated with tumor response and hepatic function. Finally, subanalyses including only patients with small intrahepatic HCC or PSM modeling showed no difference in sorafenib efficacy between the LT and the non-LT groups.

CONCLUSION

Sorafenib provides better outcomes in the LT setting than the non-LT setting. This benefit may be associated with the smaller intrahepatic HCC coupled with preserved hepatic function in LT recipients.

Impact of Extrahepatic Metastases on Overall Survival in Patients with Advanced Liver Dominant Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Subanalysis of the SORAMIC Trial

INTRODUCTION

Extrahepatic spread is reported as a prognostic factor in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving systemic therapy. However, clinical studies have reported conflicting results for the clinical impact of the pattern of tumor progression during treatment and the role of new extrahepatic metastases in length of survival.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of extrahepatic metastases on survival in patients with HCC treated with sorafenib or with a combination of sorafenib and selective internal radiation treatment (SIRT).

METHODS

SORAMIC is a randomized, controlled trial comprising diagnostic, local ablation, and palliative cohorts. In the palliative cohort, patients not eligible for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) were randomized 11:10 to SIRT plus sorafenib (SIRT + sorafenib) or sorafenib alone. This exploratory subanalysis evaluated the impact of extrahepatic metastases on survival.

RESULTS

In the intent-to-treat cohort, 216 patients were randomized to SIRT + sorafenib and 208 to sorafenib alone. Seventeen patients with distant organ metastases (bone, n = 11; adrenal glands, n = 5; peritoneum, n = 1) and 262 without distant metastases at study entry were analyzed in this substudy. Patients with (Group A) and without (Group B) distant organ metastases at study entry presented with a median survival of 11.3 and 14.8 months, respectively (p = 0.2807). During follow-up of patients with no organ metastases at baseline, extrahepatic disease progression occurred in 50 patients (19.1%). No statistically significant difference in survival was observed between patients without extrahepatic progression and those with new extrahepatic disease during treatment (14.8 vs. 14.9 months; p = 0.6483). Development of new pulmonary metastases during treatment significantly shortened median survival (7.6 vs. 15.0 months, p = 0.0060).

CONCLUSIONS

This subanalysis of the SORAMIC trial suggests that in patients with liver-dominant advanced HCC, metastases to distant organs with the exception of pulmonary metastases do not in general exert a negative impact on patient prognosis. The choice of palliative treatment should incorporate a personalized analysis of the pattern of tumor distribution.

Recent Updates of Transarterial Chemoembolilzation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a standard treatment for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review, we summarize recent updates on the use of TACE for HCC. TACE can be performed using two techniques; conventional TACE (cTACE) and drug-eluting beads using TACE (DEB-TACE). The anti-tumor effect of the two has been reported to be similar; however, DEB-TACE carries a higher risk of hepatic artery and biliary injuries and a relatively lower risk of post-procedural pain than cTACE. TACE can be used for early stage HCC if other curative treatments are not feasible or as a neoadjuvant treatment before liver transplantation. TACE can also be considered for selected patients with limited portal vein thrombosis and preserved liver function. When deciding to repeat TACE, the ART (Assessment for Retreatment with TACE) score and ABCR (AFP, BCLC, Child-Pugh, and Response) score can guide the decision process, and TACE refractoriness needs to be considered. Studies on the combination therapy of TACE with other treatment modalities, such as local ablation, radiation therapy, or systemic therapy, have been actively conducted and are still ongoing. Recently, new prognostic models, including analysis of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, radiomics, and deep learning, have been developed to help predict survival after TACE.

Concurrent hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis to stomach, colon, and brain: A case report

BACKGROUND

Extrahepatic metastasis (EHM) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurs in 10%–15% of cases following initial treatment. The most frequent sites of EHM are the lung, lymph nodes, and bone. Gastrointestinal or brain metastasis from HCC is rarely reported. Here, we report a rare case of concurrent HCC metastases to the stomach, colon, and brain.

CASE SUMMARY

A 72-year-old male with a history of alcohol induced HCC presented with multiple intrahepatic recurrences and tumorous lesions in the stomach and ascending colon. Three years earlier, he underwent right hemihepatectomy, and 1 year ago, he had a video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection for pulmonary metastasis of HCC. We decided on surgical resection of the new metastases because of massive gastric bleeding and concern for possible colonic obstruction. The patient underwent gastric wedge resection and right hemicolectomy. Two weeks later, the patient developed dysarthria and mild cognitive disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a left frontal lobe lesion, and he underwent resection of a metastatic brain tumor. Unfortunately, he died 6 weeks after the last surgery due to hepatorenal syndrome.

CONCLUSION

Decision of surgery was carefully recommended in this case and may extend survival in other metastatic HCC patients with well-preserved hepatic function.

New frontiers in liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver resection is one of the main curative options for early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis and is the treatment of choice in non-cirrhotic patients. However, careful patient selection is required to balance the risk of postoperative liver failure and the potential benefit on long-term outcomes. In the last decades, improved surgical techniques and perioperative management, as well as better patient selection, have enabled the indications for liver resection to be expanded. In this review, we aim to describe the main indications for liver resection in the management of HCC, its role compared to percutaneous ablation and liver transplantation in the therapeutic algorithm, as well as the recent advances in liver surgery that could be used to improve the prognosis of patients with HCC.

Role and limitation of neoadjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in advanced hepatocelluar carcinoma patients with Child-Pugh class A

BACKGROUND

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have a poor oncologic outcome. In this study, we evaluated the role and limitation of neoadjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in advanced HCC patients with Child-Pugh class A and the efficacy of liver resection subsequent to downstaging after neoadjuvant HAIC.

METHODS

In the present retrospective study, 103 patients with advanced HCC, who underwent neoadjuvant HAIC from April 2003 to March 2015 were analyzed. Response to HAIC was evaluated by dividing time period into after 3 cycles and after 6 cycles, each defined as early and late period. Liver resection after neoadjuvant HAIC was offered in patients who were considered as possible candidates for curative resection with tumor-free margin as well as sufficient future liver remnant volume.

RESULTS

The median survival time (MST) in all patients was 14 ± 1.7 months. Response rate and disease control rate were 36.3% (37) and 81.4% (83) in early period, respectively, and 26.4% (14) and 47.2% (25), in late period, respectively (P = 0.028). Twelve patients (11.7%) underwent liver resection after neoadjuvant HAIC and the MST was 37 ± 6.6 months. One-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival after liver resection were 58.3%, 36.5%, and 24.3% respectively. Liver resection was identified as the only independent prognostic factor that associated with overall survival in multivariate analysis (P = 0.002) CONCLUSION: HAIC could be further alternative for the treatment of advanced HCC in patients with good liver function. If liver resection is possible after neoadjuvant HAIC, liver resection would provide better outcomes than HAIC alone.

2018 Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer globally and the fourth most common cancer in men in Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle-aged and elderly patients. These practice guidelines will provide useful and constructive advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 44 experts in hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology in the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2014 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions.

Control of intracranial disease is associated with improved survival in patients with brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Brain metastasis is a rare event in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study aimed to identify the prognostic factors and determine the outcomes of patients with brain metastases from HCC.

METHODS

About 86 patients with brain metastases (0.6%) from HCC were identified from two institutions; of them, 32 underwent tumor-removing surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with or without adjuvant whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) (group 1), 30 had WBRT alone (group 2), and 24 received conservative treatment (group 3). Estimates for overall survival (OS) after brain metastases were determined, and clinical prognostic factors were identified.

RESULTS

The median OS after development of brain metastases was 50 days. About 75 (87.2%) patients had lung metastases at the time of brain metastasis diagnosis. Group 1 showed better OS, followed by group 2 and group 3, sequentially (p < 0.001). Univariate analyses showed that treatment with curative intent (surgery or SRS), Child-Pugh class A, alpha-fetoprotein level < 400 ng/ml, and recursive partitioning analysis classification I or II were associated with improved survival (p < 0.001, 0.002, 0.029, and 0.012, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that treatment with curative intent and Child-Pugh class A was associated with improved OS (p < 0.001 and 0.009, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Although the overall prognosis of patients with brain metastases from HCC is extremely poor, patients actively treated with surgery or radiosurgery have prolonged survival, suggesting that interventions to control intracranial disease are important in these patients.

2018 Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer globally and the fourth most common cancer in men in Korea, where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is high in middle-aged and elderly patients. These practice guidelines will provide useful and constructive advice for the clinical management of patients with HCC. A total of 44 experts in hepatology, oncology, surgery, radiology and radiation oncology in the Korean Liver Cancer Association-National Cancer Center Korea Practice Guideline Revision Committee revised the 2014 Korean guidelines and developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date research findings and expert opinions.

Treatment Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma ⁻ a Multidisciplinary Approach

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and its mortality is third among all solid tumors, behind carcinomas of the lung and the colon. Despite continuous advancements in the management of this disease, the prognosis for HCC remains inferior compared to other tumor entities. While orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and surgical resection are the only two curative treatment options, OLT remains the best treatment strategy as it not only removes the tumor but cures the underlying liver disease. As the applicability of OLT is nowadays limited by organ shortage, major liver resections—even in patients with underlying chronic liver disease—are adopted increasingly into clinical practice. Against the background of the oftentimes present chronical liver disease, locoregional therapies have also gained increasing significance. These strategies range from radiofrequency ablation and trans-arterial chemoembolization to selective internal radiation therapy and are employed in both curative and palliative intent, individually, as a bridging to transplant or in combination with liver resection. The choice of the appropriate treatment, or combination of treatments, should consider the tumor stage, the function of the remaining liver parenchyma, the future liver remnant volume and the patient’s general condition. This review aims to address the topic of multimodal treatment strategies in HCC, highlighting a multidisciplinary treatment approach to further improve outcome in these patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with extrahepatic metastasis: Are there still candidates for transarterial chemoembolization as an initial treatment?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Currently, sorafenib is indicated for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with extrahepatic metastasis (EHM), and many other systemic agents are becoming available. However, a few HCC patients with EHM still undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intrahepatic tumor control. We aimed to investigate whether TACE is appropriate for patients with EHM, and if so, which subgroup may benefit from TACE.

METHODS

A total of 186 consecutive HCC patients (median: 55 years, male: 86.0%, hepatitis B virus: 81.7%, Child-Pugh Class A: 83.3%) with EHM (nodal metastasis: 60.8%, distant metastasis: 39.2%) between 2010 and 2014 were analyzed. Initial treatment included sorafenib in 69 patients, and TACE in 117 patients.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 6.6 months (range: 0.2-94.6 months), mortality was observed in 90.3% (168/186). The median survival was better for patients who received TACE than those treated with sorafenib (8.2 months vs. 4.6 months, p < 0.001). However, baseline characteristics varied between patients initially treated with TACE and sorafenib, and the treatment modality was not an independent factor associated with overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-1.75, p = 0.36). In sub-group analysis, TACE was associated with better survival only among younger patients and those with segmental/lobar portal vein invasion.

CONCLUSION

In HCC patients with EHM, TACE was not an independent favorable prognostic factor compared to sorafenib. The concept of intrahepatic control in HCC patients with EHM may need to be reevaluated in the era of promising systemic therapies, although there can be specific subgroups who still benefit from TACE.

The impact of liver resection on survival outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with extrahepatic metastases: A propensity score matching study

BACKGROUND

The majority of hepatocellular carcinoma patients (HCCs) with extrahepatic metastases die of progressive intrahepatic tumor. There have been little data on the role of primary tumor resection (PTR) for HCCs with extrahepatic metastases but with resectable primary tumors.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on HCCs with extrahepatic metastases with resectable primary tumors who either underwent or did not undergo PTR in the SEER registry between 2004 and 2013. The overall and cancer-specific survivals (OS and CSS) were assessed by the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazard regression model. A propensity score matching was conducted to minimize biases. Validation was performed in another cohort from the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital (SYSMH).

RESULTS

Of the 529 HCCs with extrahepatic metastases with resectable primary tumors included into this study, 230 patients underwent PTR and 299 did not. The percentages of patients who underwent PTR increased from 38.6% in 2004 to 70.3% in 2013. In the propensity score-matched patients, PTR was associated with improved OS (HR 0.310, P < 0.001) and CSS (HR 0.326, P <0.001). These improvements in survivals remained significant after sensitivity analyses using multiple imputation. In the validation cohort from the SYSMH (n = 131), PTR was also correlated with improved OS (HR 0.508, P = 0.002) and CSS (HR 0.568, P = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

This study using propensity score matching and multiple imputation demonstrated that PTR had a favorable impact on the prognosis of HCCs with extrahepatic metastases with resectable primary tumors. Further prospective randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Multicenter Phase II Clinical Trial of Sorafenib Combined with Transarterial Chemoembolization for Advanced Stage Hepatocellular Carcinomas (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage C): STAB Study

PURPOSE

To evaluate safety and efficacy of combining sorafenib with transarterial chemoembolization in patients with advanced stage hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Systemic chemotherapy-naïve patients with a Child-Pugh class A liver profile and advanced stage HCCs were enrolled. Sorafenib therapy (daily dose 800 mg) was initiated within 4 weeks after initial conventional transarterial chemoembolization with an allowance of subsequent on-demand conventional chemoembolization. The primary endpoint was rate of protocol treatment completion, which was defined as sorafenib administration for at least 2 months. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate, disease control rate, overall survival, progression-free survival, and incidence of adverse events. Thirty-one patients (24 men, 7 women; median age, 75 years; vascular invasion, n = 19; extrahepatic metastases, n = 18; both, n = 6) who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled.

RESULTS

Protocol treatment was completed in 28 patients (90.3%, 28/31) with median protocol treatment duration of 7.0 months (range, 0.5-30 months) and median of 2 (range, 1-4) transarterial chemoembolization sessions. Objective response rate was 77.4% with median overall and progression-free survival of 17.3 months (95% confidence interval, 11.9-22.6 months) and 5.4 months (95% confidence interval, 4.6-6.2 months), respectively. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were self-limiting elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (54.8%, 17/31) and alanine aminotransferase (45.2%, 14/31).

CONCLUSIONS

This combination therapy is feasible and promising in patients with advanced stage HCCs.

Sorafenib Monotherapy Versus Sorafenib Combined with Regional Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Pulmonary Oligometastases: A Propensity Score-matched Analysis

Background: Sorafenib has been recommended as the standard therapy for advanced HCC with extrahepatic metastasis. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the difference in overall survival (OS) between treatments with sorafenib combined with regional therapies versus sorafenib monotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with pulmonary oligometastases.

Methods: The study retrospectively enrolled 95 consecutive patients who underwent sorafenib therapy. A combined group (CG) of 40 patients received regional therapy in addition to sorafenib, and a monotherapy group (MG) of 55 patients received only sorafenib. OS was the primary endpoint, and time to progression (TTP) was the secondary endpoint. Subgroup analysis was further performed to evaluate the differences between the two groups. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed to overcome the bias.

Results: Median OS was significantly longer in the CG than in the MG (18.37 vs. 7.13 months; P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified three baseline characteristics that were prognostic indicators of OS: macrovascular invasion, regional therapy, and alpha-fetoprotein. Median TTP was significantly longer in the CG than in the MG (2.93 vs. 2.23 months; P = 0.004). Further multivariate analysis showed alpha-fetoprotein, total bilirubin, and regional therapy as prognostic indicators of TTP. After propensity score matching, 34 paired patients constituted each group. Patients in the adjusted CG showed a longer OS and TTP than those in the adjusted MG (OS: 18.37 vs. 7.37 months, P = 0.015; TTP: 3.12 vs. 2.265 months, P = 0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that combining regional therapies was still a prognostic indicator of OS (P = 0.01) and TTP (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Sorafenib combined with regional therapies may be associated with prolonged OS and TTP in HCC patients with pulmonary oligometastases compared with sorafenib monotherapy.

Transarterial chemoembolization versus sorafenib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and extrahepatic disease

BACKGROUND

Sorafenib is the recommended treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is performed in individual cases with limited extrahepatic spread. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of patients with HCC and extrahepatic disease (EHD) treated with sorafenib and TACE.

METHODS

A total of 172 patients with HCC and EHD treated with sorafenib (n = 98) or TACE (n = 74) at three German referral centers (Hannover, Mainz and Hamburg) were included in this study. In order to reduce selection bias, patients were matched for significant demographic differences using a propensity score analysis.

RESULTS

Patients with liver cirrhosis, higher extrahepatic tumor burden and/or infiltration of adjacent organs/structures were significantly more often treated with sorafenib. Median overall survival (OS) was similar for sorafenib- and TACE-treated patients (7 versus 8 months, p = 0.312). In a propensity score analysis matched for demographic differences, median OS remained similar with 4 versus 8 months for sorafenib versus TACE (p = 0.613).

CONCLUSION

Treatment with TACE is not inferior to treatment with sorafenib in patients with limited EHD of HCC. TACE represents an effective therapeutic option in selected patients with EHD.

Dynamic network biomarker indicates pulmonary metastasis at the tipping point of hepatocellular carcinoma

Developing predictive biomarkers that can detect the tipping point before metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is critical to prevent further irreversible deterioration. To discover such early-warning signals or biomarkers of pulmonary metastasis in HCC, we analyse time-series gene expression data in spontaneous pulmonary metastasis mice HCCLM3-RFP model with our dynamic network biomarker (DNB) method, and identify CALML3 as a core DNB member. All experimental results of gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies show that CALML3 could indicate metastasis initiation and act as a suppressor of metastasis. We also reveal the biological role of CALML3 in metastasis initiation at a network level, including proximal regulation and cascading influences in dysfunctional pathways. Our further experiments and clinical samples show that DNB with CALML3 reduced pulmonary metastasis in liver cancer. Actually, loss of CALML3 predicts shorter overall and relapse-free survival in postoperative HCC patients, thus providing a prognostic biomarker and therapy target in HCC.

Management consensus guideline for hepatocellular carcinoma: 2016 updated by the Taiwan Liver Cancer Association and the Gastroenterological Society of Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in Taiwan. To help clinical physicians to manage patients with HCC, the Taiwan Liver Cancer Association and the Gastroenterological Society of Taiwan produced the management consensus guideline for HCC.

METHODS

The recommendations focus on nine important issues on management of HCC, including surveillance, diagnosis, staging, surgery, local ablation, transarterial chemoembolization/transarterial radioembolization/hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, systemic therapy, radiotherapy, and prevention.

RESULTS

The consensus statements were discussed, debated and got consensus in each expert team. And then the statements were sent to all of the experts for further discussion and refinement. Finally, all of the experts were invited to vote for the statements, including the level of evidence and recommendation.

CONCLUSION

With the development of the management consensus guideline, HCC patients could benefit from the optimal therapeutic modality.

Transarterial infusion of epirubicin and cisplatin combined with systemic infusion of 5-fluorouracil versus transarterial chemoembolization using doxorubicin for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

More than one-third of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients are diagnosed at advanced stage with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) or extrahepatic metastasis. However, the outcomes of current therapeutic approaches are unsatisfactory. As a novel therapeutic strategy for unresectable HCC with PVTT, we analyzed the outcomes of transarterial infusion of epirubicin and cisplatin combined with systemic infusion of 5-fluorouracil (TAC-ECF) and compared its therapeutic effects and toxicity with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using doxorubicin (DOX).

METHODS

A total of 540 consecutive HCC patients who received TACE at the Catholic Medical Center between January 2007 and November 2013 were enrolled. Of these patients, we retrospectively analyzed 129 Barcelona clinic liver cancer stage C HCC patients with PVTT who received either TAC-ECF or TACE using DOX.

RESULTS

The objective tumor response rate was higher in the TAC-ECF group, with 31.3% objective response rate after TAC-ECF compared to 10% after DOX treatment (p = 0.004). Median follow-up period was 7 months (range, 1-57 months). The overall survival rate was also significantly higher in the TAC-ECF group compared to the DOX group (median 9.3 versus 4.6 months, p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that TAC-ECF and extrahepatic metastasis were independent predictive factors for overall survival (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.002 respectively). No serious adverse effects developed in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

TAC-ECF therapy was tolerable and showed higher overall survival rate and tumor response compared to the conventional TACE DOX in advanced stage HCC patients with PVTT. Therefore, TAC-ECF may be considered as an effective treatment option for patients with unresectable HCC.

Prognostic value of tumor volume and radiation dose in moderate-sized hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter analysis in Korea (KROG 14-17)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of tumor volume and radiation dose for predicting treatment outcomes in moderate-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).A total of 72 patients with unresectable HCC ranging in size from 5 to 10 cm were treated with high-dose radiotherapy including hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), in 3 institutions from 2003 to 2013. The HRT doses ranged from 33 to 60 Gy in 3 to 10 fractions. The primary endpoint was local progression-free survival (PFS); the secondary endpoints were overall PFS, overall survival (OS), and treatment toxicity.The median follow-up period after radiotherapy was 12.8 months. The local PFS rates at 1 and 2 years were 57.0% and 39.0%, respectively, with a median of 13.6 months. The OS rates at 1 and 2 years were 70.1% and 45.2%, respectively, with a median of 21.1 months. A gross tumor volume (GTV) of 214 cm and a total dose of 105 Gy10 were identified as the optimal cutoff values of radiotherapeutic factors for local PFS. Patients with GTV ≤ 214 cm and total dose >105 Gy10 had significant higher 2-year local PFS and OS than patients with GTV >214 cm and total dose ≤ 105 Gy10 (P = .020 for local PFS, P = .009 for OS).The optimal cutoff values of GTV ≤ 214 cm and total dose >105 Gy10 may be useful for predicting survival outcomes when treating moderate-sized HCC with high-dose radiotherapy.

Percutaneous CT-guided radiofrequency ablation for patients with extrahepatic oligometastases of hepatocellular carcinoma: long-term results

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic outcome of percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for extrahepatic oligometastases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Institutional review board approval was obtained for this retrospective study, and all patients provided written informed consent. Between April 2004 and December 2015, 116 oligometastases (diameter, 5-50 mm; 20.3 ± 10.4) in 79 consecutive HCC patients (73 men and 6 women; average age, 50.3 years ±13.0) were treated with RFA. We focussed on patients with 1-3 extrahepatic metastases (EHM) confined to 1-2 organs (including the lung, adrenal gland, bone, lymph node and pleura/peritoneum) who were treated naïve with curative intent. Survival, technical success and safety were evaluated. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyse the survival data.

RESULTS

No immediate technical failure occurred, and at 1 month, the technique effectiveness rate was determined to be 95.8%. After a median follow-up time of 28.0 months (range, 6-108 months), the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 91, 70 and 48%, respectively, with a median survival time of 33.5 months. Time to unoligometastatic progression (TTUP) of less than 6 months (p < 0.001) and a Child-Pugh score of more than 5 (p = 0.001) were significant indicators of shorter OS. The 1-, 2- and 3-year disease free survival (DFS) rates were 34, 21 and 8%, respectively, with a median DFS time of 6.8 months. DFS was better for those with lung metastases (p = 0.006). Major complication occurred in nine (9.5%, 9/95) RFA sessions without treatment-related mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

CT-guided RFA for oligometastatic HCC may provide favourable efficacy and technical success with a minimally invasive approach.