Lenvatinib With or Without Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Subsets of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Yu-Xian Teng1, Ping-Ping Guo2, Ke-Zhang Qin1, Kang Chen1, George Papatheodoridis3, Bang-De Xiang1, Liang Ma1, Jian-Hong Zhong11Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China, 2Department of Ultrosound, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China Department of Ultrosound, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China, 3Department of Gastroenterology, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens “Laiko”, Athens, Greece Department of Gastroenterology, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens “Laiko”, Athens, Greece and Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering and Technology Research Center, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China,
Objectives: Targeted agents combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may improve survival for some patients. This study aims to identify the patients who are most likely to benefit from combination therapy. Methods: The study included 45 patients receiving lenvatinib while other 65 patients receiving lenvatinib plus ICIs between January 2019 and August 2020. Clinical and laboratory data were evaluated and compared. Results: The median follow-up was 20.5 months in the lenvatinib and 18.0 months in the combination group. The corresponding median overall survival was 9.3 and 13.0 months (p=0.004), respectively. Subgroup analyses found that lenvatinib plus ICIs was associated with better overall survival in patients younger than 60 years, males, without MAFLD as well as with BMI <23 kg/m2 , cirrhosis, HBV infection, total tumor volume ?982 cm3, tumor burden score of ?10.4 or ?-fetoprotein ?200 ng/ml. Conclusion: Lenvatinib plus ICIs therapy seems to be more effective in advanced HCC patients with viral etiology, low BMI, or high tumor load. Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Immune checkpoint inhibitors, Lenvatinib, Overall survival
Cite This Article
Teng Y, Guo P, Qin K, Chen K, Papatheodoridis G, Xiang B, et al. Lenvatinib With or Without Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Subsets of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. EJMO. 2022; 6(1): 25-29
Corresponding Author: Jian-Hong Zhong