Efficacy and Safety of Lenvatinib Combined With PD-1 Inhibitors Plus TACE for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients in China Real-World

Pathogenesis and Systemic Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Status and Prospects

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the major threats to human health worldwide. The emergence of systemic therapeutic options has greatly improved the prognosis of patients with HCC, particularly those with advanced stages of the disease. In this review, we discussed the pathogenesis of HCC, genetic alterations associated with the development of HCC, and alterations in the tumor immune microenvironment. Then, important indicators and emerging technologies related to the diagnosis of HCC are summarized. Also, we reviewed the major advances in treatments for HCC, offering insights into future prospects for next-generation managements.

Efficacy and safety of TACE combined with TKIs and PD-1 inhibitors in HCC patients with prior TIPS

Purpose

To compare the efficacy and safety of TACE combined with TKIs and PD-1 inhibitors between HCC patients with and without prior TIPS.

Methods

This retrospective propensity score matching (PSM) study included advanced HCC patients treated with prior TIPS followed by TKIs, PD-1 inhibitors, and TACE between January 2021 and January 2023. Patients were matched with a control group of HCC patients who had not undergone TIPS (non-TIPS). Outcome measures included objective response rate (ORR) using modified RECIST (mRECIST v1.1), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety assessed by CTCAE v5.0.

Results

A total of 172 patients were included before PSM. After PSM, 42 patients with prior TIPS were matched with 71 non-TIPS patients. ORR was 31.0% in the TIPS group and 57.7% in the non-TIPS group (p = 0.007), Both PFS and OS were longer in the non-TIPS group, with a median PFS of 7.9 months for TIPS patients versus 12.3 months for non-TIPS patients (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.253, p < 0.001), and a median OS of 13.5 months versus 21.1 months, respectively (HR = 2.282, p = 0.002). Treatment-related adverse events showed no significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion

TACE combined with TKIs and PD-1 inhibitors showed lower efficacy in HCC patients with prior TIPS, but it remains a viable option, providing a favorable safety profile and effective disease control.

Safety and efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors combination therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma combined with hyperbilirubinemia: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) combination therapy are considered as a first-line treatment recommendation for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, patients with hyperbilirubinemia are excluded from this therapeutic option due to limitations in indications. There is a notable absence of published studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of the PD-1 inhibitors plus TKIs combination therapy in patients with HCC combined with hyperbilirubinemia.

Methods

Patients with HCC complicated with hyperbilirubinemia who received combination therapy with PD-1 inhibitors and TKIs were retrospectively analyzed. Adverse events, tumor response, and laboratory parameters were recorded to assess the safety and efficacy of the treatment, as well as to identify potential risk factors influencing survival.

Results

A total of 108 participants were included in the study, with 56 patients (51.9%) reporting at least one adverse event, the majority of which were mild. The objective response rate (ORR) for the enrolled participants was 11.9%, and the disease control rate(DCR) reached 61.2%. The median overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 5.03 months, while the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.63 months. Multifactorial analysis showed that MELD score >18 and increased total bilirubin (TBIL) levels within one week were significant risk factors for OS. Patients with a decrease in TBIL levels within one week had significantly prolonged median OS (not reached vs 3.3months, P =0.013) and median PFS (7.03 months vs 2.77 months, P =0.010).

Conclusion

Combination therapy demonstrated favorable safety and tolerability among patients with HCC combined with hyperbilirubinemia. Patients who experienced a rapid decline in TBIL levels during the early phase of treatment with PD-1 inhibitors and TKIs were observed to derive clinical benefits. Early initiation of aggressive interventions aimed at reducing TBIL levels is recommended to optimize treatment outcomes.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor with or without transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and aims

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based systemic therapies for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) with promising efficacy. However, whether the addition of TACE to the combination of ICI and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) (ICI+TKI+TACE) is superior to ICI+TKI combination therapy is still not clear. Thus, this study compares the efficacy of ICI+TKI+TACE triple therapy and ICI+TKI doublet therapy in patients with uHCC.

Methods

uHCC patients treated with either ICI+TKI+TACE triple therapy or ICI+TKI doublet therapy were retrospectively recruited between January 2016 and December 2021 at Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital. The patients from ICI+TKI+TACE group and ICI+TKI group were further subjected to propensity score matching (PSM). The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). Post-progression survival (PPS) as well as treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were also assessed.

Results

A total of 120 patients were matched. The median PFS was 8.4 months in ICI+TKI+TACE triple therapy group versus 6.6 months in ICI+TKI doublet therapy group (HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.48-1.08; p=0.115). Similar results were obtained in term of OS (26.9 versus 24.2 months, HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.51-1.52; p=0.670). The ORR in the triple therapy group was comparable with that in the doublet therapy group (16.6% versus 21.6%, p=0.487). Further subgroup analysis for PFS illustrated that patients without previous locoregional treatment (preLRT) (10.5 versus 3.7 months, HR 0.35 [0.16-0.76]; p=0.009), without previous treatment (10.5 versus 3.5 months, HR 0.34 [0.14-0.81]; p=0.015) or treated with lenvatinib (14.8 versus 6.9 months, HR 0.52 [0.31-0.87]; p=0.013) can significantly benefit from triple therapy compared with doublet therapy. A remarkable interaction between treatment and preLRT (p=0.049) or TKIs-combined (p=0.005) was also detected in term of PFS. Post progression treatment significantly improved PPS in both groups. The incidence of TRAEs was comparable between two groups.

Conclusions

The addition of TACE to ICI+TKI combination therapy did not result in a substantial improvement in efficacy and prognosis of patients. However, in selected uHCC patients (without preLRT or treated with lenvatinib as combination), ICI+TKI+TACE triple therapy may remarkably improve PFS.

Chinese Expert Consensus on the Whole-Course Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2023 Edition)

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. Most HCC patients have the complications of chronic liver disease and need overall consideration and whole-course management, including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. To develop a reasonable, long-term, and complete management plan, multiple factors need to be considered, including the patient’s general condition, basic liver diseases, tumor stage, tumor biological characteristics, treatment requirements, and economic cost. Summary: To better guide the whole-course management of HCC patients, the Chinese Association of Liver Cancer and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association has gathered multidisciplinary experts and scholars in relevant fields to formulate the “Chinese Expert Consensus on The Whole-Course Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2023).” Key Messages: This expert consensus, based on the current clinical evidence and experience, proposes surgical and nonsurgical HCC management pathways and involves 18 recommendations, including perioperative treatment, systematic treatment combined with local treatment, conversion treatment, special population management, symptomatic support treatment, and follow-up management.

Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: Transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib in combination with programmed death-1 inhibition is a possible approach

In this editorial, we review the article “Efficacy and predictive factors of transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1 inhibition for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma”. We specifically focused on whether transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib in combination with a programmed death 1 inhibitor could be used in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Since both transarterial chemoembolization as well as lenvatinib in combination with programmed death 1 inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of advanced liver cancer, but the combination of all three therapeutic approaches needs more research.

Efficacy of Lenvatinib Combined with Anti-PD-1 Antibodies Plus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study

PURPOSE

The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is extremely poor, and systemic therapy is currently the mainstream treatment. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib combined with anti-programmed cell death-1 antibodies and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (triple therapy) in patients with HCC and PVTT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective multicenter study included patients with HCC and PVTT who received triple therapy, were aged between 18 and 75 years, classified as Child-Pugh class A or B, and had at least one measurable lesion. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates, and disease control rates were analyzed to assess efficacy. Treatment-related adverse events were analyzed to assess safety profiles.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 11.23 months (range, 3.07 to 34.37 months), the median OS was greater than 24 months, and median PFS was 12.53 months. The 2-year OS rate was 54.9%. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 69.8% (74/106) and 84.0% (89/106), respectively; 20.8% (22/106) of the patients experienced grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths occurred. The conversion rate to liver resection was 31.1% (33/106), with manageable postoperative complications. The median OS was not reached in the surgery group, but was 19.08 months in the non-surgery group. The median PFS in the surgery and non-surgery groups were 20.50 and 9.00 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Triple therapy showed promising survival benefits and high response rates in patients with HCC and PVTT, with manageable adverse effects.

Combined transarterial chemoembolization and tislelizumab for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often presents as unresectable, necessitating effective treatment modalities. Combining transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with immunotherapy and targeted therapy has shown promise, yet real-world evidence is needed.

AIM

To investigate effectiveness and safety of TACE with tislelizumab ± targeted therapy for unresectable HCC in real-world setting.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with unresectable HCC receiving combined treatment of TACE and tislelizumab. The clinical outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR). All patients were evaluated according to the mRECIST criteria. The adverse event (AE) was also assessed.

RESULTS

In this study of 56 patients with median follow-up of 10.9 months, 7 had previous immunotherapy. Tislelizumab was administered before TACE in 21 (37.50%) and after in 35 (62.50%) patients, with 91.07% receiving concurrent targeted therapy. Median PFS was 14.0 (95%CI: 7.0-18.00) months, and OS was 28 (95%CI: 2.94-53.05) months. Patients with prior immunotherapy had shorter PFS (6 vs. 18 months, P = 0.006). Overall ORR and DCR were 82.14% and 87.50%. Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related AEs included increased alanine aminotransferase (8.93%), aspartate aminotransferase (10.71%), and total bilirubin (3.57%).

CONCLUSION

The combination of TACE and tislelizumab, with or without targeted therapy, demonstrated promising efficacy and safety in unresectable HCC, especially in immunotherapy-naive patients, warranting further prospective validation studies.

Roles of clinical application of lenvatinib and its resistance mechanism in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (Review)

Lenvatinib (LEN) is a multi-target TKI, which plays a pivotal role in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The inevitable occurrence of drug resistance still prevents curative potential and is deleterious for the prognosis, and a growing body of studies is accumulating, which have devoted themselves to unveiling its underlying resistance mechanism and made some progress. The dysregulation of crucial signaling pathways, non-coding RNA and RNA modifications were proven to be associated with LEN resistance. A range of drugs were found to influence LEN therapeutic efficacy. In addition, the superiority of LEN combination therapy has been shown to potentially overcome the limitations of LEN monotherapy in a series of research, and a range of promising indicators for predicting treatment response and prognosis have been discovered in recent years. In this review, we summarize the latest developments in LEN resistance, the efficacy and safety of LEN combination therapy as well as associated indicators, which may provide new insight into its resistance as well as ideas in the treatment of advanced HCC.

Clinical benefits of transarterial chemoembolization combined with tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Combination therapy has emerged as the focus of research for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In recent years, several studies have explored the clinical efficacy and safety of the combination therapies of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

AIM

To conduct an updated meta-analysis verifying the clinical benefits and adverse effects of the triple combination therapy for unresectable HCC.

METHODS

All eligible cohort, non-randomized controlled, and randomized controlled trial studies from the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and MedLine databases up to March 20, 2024 were screened for the present meta-analysis. The study endpoints included complete response (CR), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs). Stata 16/18 software was used for this meta-analysis, and a P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 29 studies with 1754 patients were included. Among the patients who received the TACE therapy with TKIs and ICIs, the tumor response results revealed a pooled CR, ORR, and DCR of 14% [95%CI (0.11-0.18)], 61% [95%CI (0.55-0.66)], and 85% [95%CI (0.83-0.87)], respectively. In terms of the survival outcomes, the pooled median PFS and OS were 10.25 months [95%CI (9.31-11.18)] and 20.47 months [95%CI (18.98-21.97)], respectively. The pooled prevalence of all-grade AEs during the triple treatment was 90% [95%CI (0.84-0.94)] and that of grade ≥ 3 AEs was 32% [95%CI (0.24-0.42)].

CONCLUSION

The combination therapy of TACE, TKIs, and ICIs exhibits great clinical benefits for unresectable HCC in terms of tumor responses and survival outcomes without increasing the risk of severe AEs.

Efficacy and predictive factors of transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1 inhibition for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have rarely been evaluated and it is unknown which factors are related to efficacy.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and independent predictive factors of TACE combined with lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors for unresectable HCC.

METHODS

This study retrospectively enrolled patients with unresectable HCC who received TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment between March 2019 and April 2022. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated in accordance with the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Additionally, the prognostic factors affecting the clinical outcome were assessed.

RESULTS

One hundred and two patients were enrolled with a median follow-up duration of 12.63 months. The median OS was 26.43 months (95%CI: 17.00-35.87), and the median PFS was 10.07 months (95%CI: 8.50-11.65). The ORR and DCR were 61.76% and 81.37%, respectively. The patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Classification (BCLC) B stage, early neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) response (decrease), or early alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) response (decrease > 20%) had superior OS and PFS than their counterparts.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment was well tolerated with encouraging efficacy in patients with unresectable HCC. The patients with BCLC B-stage disease with early NLR response (decrease) and early AFP response (decrease > 20%) may achieve better clinical outcomes with this triple therapy.

Effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 antibodies in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A treatment with Chinese characteristics

Therapies for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) are currently popular. Current first-line standard-of-care treatments for uHCC are systematic therapies. However, treatments that combine locoregional therapy with systemic therapy are widely accepted in China and have demonstrated high rates of tumor response and conversion to resection with manageable toxicity. A literature review was performed by searching published literature in PubMed and Web of Science up to December 2023 for relevant articles on the use of triple therapy (transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib and anti-PD-1 antibodies) in uHCC. This review concentrates on the efficacy and safety of triple therapy with Chinese characteristics in patients with uHCC and describes the outcome of conversion surgery, degree of pathological necrosis, and effect prediction. This article will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the role of triple therapy with Chinese characteristics in patients with uHCC.

Impact of combining Lenvatinib with Transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Objectives

To investigate the impact of combining lenvatinib with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study which reviewed the medical records of 103 unresectable HCC patients from January 2017 to June 2020 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. It included 46 patients who received TACE plus lenvatinib and 57 patients who received TACE alone. The levels of serum indicators, clinical effect, adverse events, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between the two groups.

Results

AFP and VEGF levels in the TACE+lenvatinib group post-treatment were significantly lower than the TACE group (P<0.05). The clinical efficacy in the TACE+lenvatinib group (69.57%) was higher than that in the TACE group (40.35%) post-treatment (P<0.05). There were significant differences in hypertension, diarrhea, and bleeding (gingiva) between the two groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in one or two year PFS rate or one year OS between groups (P>0.05), while the two years survival rate in the TACE+lenvatinib group was significantly higher than that in the TACE group (P<0.05).

Conclusions

TACE combined with lenvatinib have a high clinical effective rate, with reduced AFP and VEGF levels, higher two year survival rate, and acceptable incidence of adverse events.

Application and Resistance Mechanisms of Lenvatinib in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Lenvatinib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is one of the preferred targeted drugs for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). Since the REFLECT study showed that lenvatinib was noninferior to sorafenib in overall survival (OS), lenvatinib monotherapy has been widely used for aHCC. Moreover, lenvatinib combination therapy, especially lenvatinib combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has shown more encouraging clinical results. However, drug development and comprehensive treatment have not significantly improved the prognosis, and lenvatinib resistance is often encountered in treatment. The underlying molecular mechanism of lenvatinib resistance is still unclear, and studies to solve drug resistance are ongoing. The molecular mechanisms of lenvatinib resistance in patients with aHCC include the regulation of signaling pathways, the regulation of noncoding RNAs, the impact of the immune microenvironment, tumor stem cell activation and other mechanisms. This review aims to (1) summarize the progress of lenvatinib in treating aHCC, (2) delineate the known lenvatinib resistance mechanisms of current therapy, and (3) describe the development of therapeutic methods intended to overcome these resistance mechanisms.

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with macrovascular invasion or extrahepatic spread: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 54 studies with 6187 hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The impacts of macrovascular invasion (MVI) or extrahepatic spread (EHS) on the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) among hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients remain unclear. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify whether ICI therapy is a feasible treatment option for HCC with MVI or EHS.

METHODS

Eligible studies published before September 14, 2022, were retrieved. In this meta-analysis, the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and occurrence of adverse events (AEs) were outcomes of interest.

RESULTS

Fifty-four studies involving 6187 individuals were included. The findings indicated that the presence of EHS in ICI-treated HCC patients may indicate an inferior ORR (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.96), but may not significantly affect the PFS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.70-2.31) and OS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.23, 95% CI 0.70-2.16). Additionally, the presence of MVI in ICI-treated HCC patients may not have significant prognostic impact on ORR (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.64-1.10), but may indicate inferior PFS (multivariate analyses: HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2.84) and OS (multivariate analyses: HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.31-3.14). The presence of EHS or MVI in ICI-treated HCC patients may not significantly impact the occurrence of any serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs) (grades ≥ 3) (EHS: OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.12-1.56; MVI: OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.24-1.88).

CONCLUSION

The presence of MVI or EHS in ICI-treated HCC patients may not significantly impact the occurrence of serious irAEs. However, the presence of MVI (but not EHS) in ICI-treated HCC patients may be a significant negative prognostic factor. Therefore, ICI-treated HCC patients with MVI warrant more attention.

Efficacy and safety of lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitor with or without transarterial chemoembolization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical benefit and tolerability of triple therapy of lenvatinib, programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor, and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus dual therapy of lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS

Between October 2018 and September 2021, patients with unresectable HCC who received triple therapy of lenvatinib, PD-1 inhibitor, and TACE or dual therapy of lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor participated in this study. The efficacy was evaluated by survival and therapeutic response, and the tolerability was evaluated by the frequency and severity of key adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

In total, 118 eligible patients with unresectable HCC who received combination therapy were included in this study. Among them, 60 patients received triple therapy of lenvatinib, PD-1 inhibitor, and TACE (L-P-T group), and 58 eligible patients received dual therapy of lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor (L-P group). Patients who received triple therapy had better overall survival (OS) [median, 29.0 vs. 17.8 months, p < 0.01] and progression-free survival (PFS) [median, 16.2 vs. 10.2 months, p < 0.01] than those who received dual therapy. The objective response rate (76.7 vs. 44.9%, p < 0.01) and disease control rate (96.7 vs. 75.9%, p < 0.01) in the L-P-T group were higher than in the L-P group, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that the treatment option and BCLC stage were independent prognostic factors for OS, while treatment option and tumor number were independent prognostic factors for PFS. The incidence and severity of AEs in the L-P-T group were comparable to those in the L-P group (any grade, 95.0 vs. 94.8%, p = 1.00; grade ≥ 3, 30.0 vs. 27.6%, p = 0.93).

CONCLUSION

Triple therapy of lenvatinib, PD-1 inhibitor, and TACE may achieve more favorable survival benefits than dual therapy of lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor in unresectable HCC patients with manageable safety profiles.

Outcomes and prognostic factors in initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated using conversion therapy with lenvatinib and TACE plus PD-1 inhibitors

Purpose

To evaluate the outcomes and prognostic factors for patients using conversion therapy with lenvatinib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors (LTP) for initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (iuHCC).

Methods

Data on 94 consecutive patients with iuHCC who received LTP conversion therapy from November 2019 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Early tumor response was reported when patients showed complete or partial response at the time of their first follow-up (4-6 weeks) after initial treatment, in accordance with mRECIST. The endpoints consisted of conversion surgery rate, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Early tumor response was found in 68 patients (72.3%) and not in the remaining 26 patients (27.7%) in the entire cohort. Early responders had a significantly higher conversion surgery rate than non-early responders (44.1% vs. 7.7%, p=0.001). Early tumor response was the only factor independently associated with successful conversion resection, as indicated by multivariate analysis (OR=10.296; 95% CI: 2.076-51.063; p=0.004). Survival analysis showed that early responders had longer PFS (15.4 vs. 7.8 months, p=0.005) and OS (23.1 vs. 12.5 months, p=0.004) than non-early responders. Early responders who underwent conversion surgery also had significantly longer median PFS and OS (not reached, not reached) than those who did not (11.2 months, p=0.004; 19.4 months, p<0.001). In multivariate analyses, early tumor response was identified as an independent prognostic factor for longer OS (HR=0.404, 95% CI: 0.171-0.954; p=0.039). Successful conversion surgery was also an independent predictive factor for longer PFS (HR=0.248, 95% CI: 0.099-0.622; p=0.003) and OS (HR=0.147, 95% CI: 0.039-0.554; p=0.005).

Conclusions

Early tumor response is an important predictive marker for successful conversion surgery and prolonged survival in patients with iuHCC treated using LTP conversion therapy. Conversion surgery is necessary to improve survival during conversion therapy, particularly for early responders.

Prediction of early treatment response to the combination therapy of TACE plus lenvatinib and anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: Multicenter retrospective study

Background and aim

The purpose of this study was to investigate and validate the efficacy of a nomogram model in predicting early objective response rate (ORR) in u-HCC patients receiving a combination of TACE, Lenvatinib, and anti-PD-1 antibody treatment after 3 months (triple therapy).

Method

This study included 169 u-HCC cases from five different hospitals. As training cohorts (n = 102), cases from two major centers were used, and external validation cohorts (n = 67) were drawn from the other three centers. The clinical data and contrast-enhanced MRI characteristics of patients were included in this retrospective study. For evaluating MRI treatment responses, the modified revaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) were used. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to select relevant variables and develop a nomogram model. Our as-constructed nomogram was highly consistent and clinically useful, as confirmed by the calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA); an independent external cohort also calibrated the nomogram.

Results

The ORR was 60.7% and the risk of early ORR was independently predicted by AFP, portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), tumor number, and size in both the training (C-index = 0.853) and test (C-index = 0.731) cohorts. The calibration curve revealed that the nomogram-predicted values were consistent with the actual response rates in both cohorts. Furthermore, DCA indicated that our developed nomogram performed well in clinical settings.

Conclusion

The nomogram model accurately predicts early ORR achieved by triple therapy in u-HCC patients, which aids in individual decision-making and modifying additional therapies for u-HCC cases.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined With PD-1 Inhibitors Plus Lenvatinib Showed Improved Efficacy for Treatment of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Compared With PD-1 Inhibitors Plus Lenvatinib

Background: Programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors combined with lenvatinib have become a popular treatment option for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors and lenvatinib has also shown preliminary efficacy in the unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. We conducted this observational, retrospective, cohort study to compare the clinical outcomes and safety of transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib versus programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Between November 2019 and November 2021, patients who were diagnosed with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and received transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib or programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib treatment were reviewed for eligibility. The primary endpoints included objective response rate, overall survival, and progression-free survival. The secondary endpoint was the frequency of key adverse events. Results: In total, 105 patients were eligible for the present study, and they were divided into the transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group (n = 46) and the programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group (n = 59). The patient cohort after a one-to-one propensity score matching (n = 86) was also analyzed. The transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group had a higher objective response rate both in the patient cohort before propensity score matching (54.3% vs 25.4%, P = .002) and after propensity score matching (55.8% vs 30.2%, P = .017). The patients in the transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group had prolonged overall survival (median, 20.5 vs 12.6 months, P = .015) and progression-free survival (median, 10.2 vs 7.4 months, P = .035). For patient cohort- propensity score matching, the overall survival (20.5 vs 12.8 months, P = .013) and progression-free survival (12.1 vs 7.8 months, P = .030) were also significantly better in the transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group than in the programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib group. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups concerning adverse reactions caused by immunotherapy and lenvatinib. The adverse reactions caused by transarterial chemoembolization were transient and were quickly reversed. Conclusions: Compared to programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib, transarterial chemoembolization combined with programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors plus lenvatinib may provide better treatment response and survival benefits for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, and the adverse events were manageable.

An overview: Management of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has constituted a significant health burden worldwide, and patients with advanced HCC, which is stage C as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, have a poor overall survival of 6-8 months. Studies have indicated the significant survival benefit of treatment based on sorafenib, lenvatinib, or atezolizumab-bevacizumab with reliable safety. In addition, the combination of two or more molecularly targeted therapies (first- plus second-line) has become a hot topic recently and is now being extensively investigated in patients with advanced HCC. In addition, a few biomarkers have been investigated and found to predict drug susceptibility and prognosis, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the clinical benefits of current therapies. In addition, many therapies other than tyrosine kinase inhibitors that might have additional survival benefits when combined with other therapeutic modalities, including immunotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, hepatectomy, and chemotherapy, have also been examined. This review provides an overview on the current understanding of disease management and summarizes current challenges with and future perspectives on advanced HCC.

Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors plus molecular targeted agents after the progression of lenvatinib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Lenvatinib is a standard first-line systemic therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) and is widely used in all lines. However, the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus molecular targeted agents (MTAs) after the progression of lenvatinib treatment are unclear.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer effects of ICI plus MTA in patients with aHCC who progressed after lenvatinib.

Methods

We retrospectively included aHCC patients treated with ICI plus MTA after the progression of lenvatinib from two medical centers. Participants who continued lenvatinib treatment were classified into the "ICI+Lenva" group, while the "ICI+Others" group included patients receiving other MTAs. The efficacy endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), post-progression survival (PPS), overall survival (OS), and tumor response following RECIST v1.1. Safety was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0.

Results

In this study, 85 eligible aHCC patients were enrolled, including 58 in the ICI+Lenva group and 27 in the ICI+Others group. At a median follow-up time of 22.8 months, the median PPS and PFS were 14.0 (95% CI: 9.0-18.2) and 4.5 months (95% CI: 3.5-8.3), respectively. The objective response and disease control rates were 10.6% and 52.9%, respectively. No significant differences were observed in any of the efficacy endpoints between the two groups. Prolonged PPS was associated with Child-Pugh grade A, AFP < 400 IU/ml, and concomitant locoregional treatment. All patients experienced adverse events (AEs), but no fatal AEs were observed.

Conclusion

ICI plus MTA in aHCC patients after the progression of lenvatinib presented high antitumor activity and safety. Patients could continue lenvatinib treatment and receive ICIs as well as locoregional treatment to achieve better OS.