scholarly journals Efficacy of First Line Systemic Chemotherapy and Multikinase Inhibitors in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songporn Oranratnachai ◽  
Sasivimol Rattanasiri ◽  
Anantaporn Pooprasert ◽  
Amarit Tansawet ◽  
Thanyanan Reungwetwattana ◽  
...  

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most fatal cancer, with a 5-year survival rate of 18%. Standard frontline-therapy is multikinase inhibitors (MKIs), but accessibility is still limited, particularly in developing countries. This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to compare the efficacy of usual chemotherapy vs MKIs.MethodRandomised-controlled trials (RCTs) comparing any among chemotherapy vs MKIs in treatment-naïve patients with advanced HCCs were identified from MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) probabilities and times were extracted from Kaplan-Meier curves using Digitizer, and then converted to individual patient time-to-event data. A one-stage mixed-effect survival model was applied to estimate median OS and PFS. A two-stage NMA was applied for the overall response rate and adverse events (AEs) outcome.ResultsA total of 20 RCTs were eligible for NMA. Lenvatinib was the best treatment among single MKIs, with median OS and PFS of 9 and 6.3 months, without significant differences in AEs relative to other MKIs. Median OS and PFS were 0.70 (-0.42, 1.83) and 2.17 (1.41, 2.93) months longer with Lenvatinib than Sorafenib. Among chemotherapy agents, FOLFOX4 had the longest median OS and PFS at 7.9 and 4.3 months, respectively, without significant AEs compared to other chemotherapies. The combination of Sorafenib+Doxorubicin prolonged median OS and PFS to 12.7 and 6.3 months, respectively.ConclusionUse of the MKIs Lenvatinib or Sorafenib as first line systemic treatment for advanced HCC could be beneficial. However, FOLFOX4 might be the optimal choice in a developing country where the health-care budget is limited.

Liver Cancer ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 613-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaekyung Cheon ◽  
Hong Jae Chon ◽  
Yeonghak Bang ◽  
Neung Hwa Park ◽  
Jung Woo Shin ◽  
...  

Introduction/Objective: Lenvatinib demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the randomized phase III REFLECT trial. Considering the discrepancies in patients between clinical trial data and daily practice, an account of practical experience is needed. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis in which 3 tertiary referral centers participated. A total of 92 patients with advanced HCC treated with lenvatinib between September 2018 and January 2020 were analyzed. Results: Lenvatinib was used as the first-line therapy for 67 (72.8%) patients, and for 25 (27.2%) patients previously treated with other systemic therapy including immune checkpoint inhibitors. At the time of initiation of lenvatinib, 74 (80.4%) and 18 (19.6%) patients were classified as Child-Pugh A and B, respectively. Thirty-five patients (38.0%) had extensive disease that would have excluded them from the REFLECT trial. In the Child-Pugh A group, the response rate graded according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1 was 21.1%, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1–6.1) months, and overall survival (OS) was 10.7 (95% CI 4.8–16.5) months for patients treated with first-line lenvatinib (n = 57). With second- or later-line lenvatinib (n = 17), median PFS and OS were 4.1 (95% CI 3.1–5.1) and 6.4 (95% CI 5.1–7.7) months, respectively. In the Child-Pugh B group (n = 18), median PFS and OS were 2.6 (95% CI 0.6–4.6) and 5.3 (95% CI 2.0–8.5) months, respectively. The most common grade 3–4 toxicities were hyperbilirubinemia (n = 8; 8.7%), AST elevation (n = 6; 6.5%), and diarrhea (n = 5; 5.4%) across all study patients. Conclusions: In this real-world study, lenvatinib was found to be well tolerated and effective in more heterogeneous HCC patient populations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16086-e16086
Author(s):  
Barbara Elizabeth Ratto ◽  
Sutirtha Chakraborty ◽  
Harini Chinthapatla ◽  
Manik Kalra

e16086 Background: The approval of newer agents in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has changed the treatment paradigm in first-line settings. The aim of this review was to compare pazopanib against current first-line treatments in RCC. Methods: A systematic review was conducted that assessed pazopanib against first-line agents in treatment naïve patients with mRCC. Relevant databases and conferences were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing treatment naïve adult patient (≥18 years). Frequentist mixed treatment comparison (MTC) method was applied for the pairwise comparisons among treatments for ITT population and favorable, intermediate, and poor risk subgroups. Results: Twenty-three RCTs met the eligibility criteria. The MTC results showed that pazopanib was comparable to sunitinib in terms of progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in ITT population. Cabozantinib was significantly better compared to pazopanib for PFS; however, there was heterogeneity in the patient population. Pazopanib was comparable to nivolumab + ipilimumab when assessed for PFS in ITT population; although, favorable risk patients treated with pazopanib achieved significantly higher PFS compared to nivolumab + ipilimumab (HR: 0.46, 95% CI: [0.37, 0.57]). Atezolizumab + bevacizumab and avelumab + axitinib were associated with significantly higher PFS compared to pazopanib. Cabozantinib and nivolumab + ipilimumab were associated with better OS compared to pazopanib. Conclusions: The newer agents i.e. cabozantinib and nivolumab + ipilimumab are approved for intermediate/poor risk patients. The results suggests that pazopanib is still a reliable option for treatment of patients in first-line settings, especially for favorable/intermediate risk patients.[Table: see text]


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16135-e16135
Author(s):  
Jiamin Cheng ◽  
Yinyin Li ◽  
Tong Wu ◽  
Zhen Zhang ◽  
Yan Chen ◽  
...  

e16135 Background: Recently, tyrosine kinase inhibitor plus PD-1 inhibitor regimen has shown promising effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). So far, no study explored the effectiveness of upfront versus add-on combination therapy in patients with systemic treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced HCCThis study aimed to explore the effectiveness and safety of sintilimab combined sorafenib in patients with untreated or sorafenib monotherapy-refractory unresectable HCC. Methods: In this retrospective study, unresectable HCC patients received sintilimab plus sorafenib from January 2018 to December 2020 were enrolled. According to the prior treatment, patients were grouped as first-line and second-line (received sorafenib combined sintilimab after progression on sorafenib alone). Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival (PFS), safety, and the change of Child-Pugh score from baseline to progression were recorded. The PFS was defined as the time from first dosing of sintilimab until disease progressive or death. Results: A total of 31 patients were reviewed, including 19 patients in first-line group and 12 patients in second-line group. There were two patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B and 17 patients with BCLC stage C in first-line group, and one patient with BCLC stage A and 11 patients with BCLC stage C in second-line group, respectively. The ORR and DCR were 27.8% and 77.8% in first-line group, and 16.7% and 75.0% in second-line group, respectively. Fourteen cases in first-line group and 10 cases in second-line group showed PD during the follow-up. The 6-month PFS rate of first-line group and second-line group were 47.1% and 64.8%, respectively. Thirteen and 9 patients experienced AE in two groups. Four and 2 grade 3 AEs occurred in two groups, respectively. The most frequency AE were hand-foot-skin reaction in both group (58.0% and 50.0%, respectively). One patient discontinued sintilimab due to AE in second-line group. Among PD patients, the Child-Pugh score improved in 2 cases, maintained in 5 cases, and deteriorated in 7 cases in the first-line group; and improved in 3 cases, miantained in 3 cases, and deteriorated in 4 cases in the second-line group. Conclusions: Sorafenib plus sintilimab showed potential anti-tumor effect and tolerance on unresectable HCC, either as first-line therapy or after progression with sorafenib monotherapy. Outcomes.[Table: see text]


Liver Cancer ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Jui Yen ◽  
Masatoshi Kudo ◽  
Ho-Yeong Lim ◽  
Chih-Hung Hsu ◽  
Arndt Vogel ◽  
...  

Objective: REACH-2 and REACH were randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter phase 3 trials which showed survival benefits of ramucirumab treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ramucirumab in Asian and non-Asian patients with AFP ≥400 ng/mL from REACH-2 and REACH. Methods: We pooled Asian and non-Asian patients from the REACH-2 and REACH trials and performed an individual patient data meta-analysis. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated with a stratified Cox regression model. Results: In the pooled REACH-2 and REACH patient population, 291 Asian patients were randomly assigned to receive ramucirumab (n = 168) or placebo (n = 123), and 251 non-Asian patients received ramucirumab (n = 148) or placebo (n = 103). The median OS was significantly longer in the ramucirumab arm in comparison to the placebo arm for Asian patients (8.08 vs. 4.76 months, stratified HR 0.73 [95% CI 0.56–0.95], p = 0.0189) and non-Asian patients (7.98 vs. 5.22 months, stratified HR 0.65 [95% CI 0.49–0.86], p = 0.0028). The overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were significantly higher in the ramucirumab arm compared to the placebo arm for Asian patients (ORR: 4.2 vs. 0.8%; DCR: 53.6 vs. 33.3%) and non-Asian patients (ORR: 6.8 vs. 1.0%; DCR: 59.5 vs. 41.7%). The most common grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events reported in the ramucirumab arm were hypertension (7.7%), decreased appetite (1.2%), and ascites (1.2%) for Asian patients and hypertension (16.9%), ascites (8.8%), asthenia (4.7%), and fatigue (5.4%) for non-Asian patients. Discussion and Conclusion: This pooled analysis of the REACH-2/REACH trials demonstrates significant benefits, with a manageable safety profile, of ramucirumab treatment in Asian and non-Asian patients with advanced HCC and baseline AFP ≥400 ng/mL.


Author(s):  
Antonio Giovanni Solimando ◽  
Nicola Susca ◽  
Antonella Argentiero ◽  
Oronzo Brunetti ◽  
Patrizia Leone ◽  
...  

Abstract Background & Aims A plethora of second-line therapies have been recently introduced for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment with promising results. A meta-analysis of second-line treatments for HCC has been performed to better tailor their use based on improved patient stratification and to identify the best available option. Methods Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating second-line treatment for advanced HCC in patients already treated with sorafenib. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and drug withdrawal due to adverse events. Network meta-analyses were performed considering placebo as the basis for comparison in efficacy and safety analyses. Subgroup stratification considered gender, age, sorafenib-responsiveness and drug tolerability, viral infection, macrovascular invasion, HCC extrahepatic spread, performance status, and alpha-fetoprotein levels. Results Fourteen phase II or III randomized controlled trials, involving 5,488 patients and 12 regimens, were included in the analysis. Regorafenib (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50–0.79), cabozantinib (HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63–0.92), and ramucirumab (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.70–0.76) significantly prolonged OS compared with placebo. Cabozantinib (HR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.36–0.52), regorafenib (HR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.37–0.56), ramucirumab (HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.43–0.68), brivanib (HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.42–0.76), S-1 (HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.46–0.77), axitinib (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.44–0.87), and pembrolizumab (HR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.57–0.90) significantly improved PFS compared with placebo. None of the compared drugs deemed undoubtedly superior after having performed a patients’ stratification. Conclusions The results of this network meta-analysis suggest the use of regorafenib and cabozantinib as second-line treatments in HCC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 293-293
Author(s):  
Robin Park ◽  
Laércio Lopes da Silva ◽  
Voravech Nissaisorakarn ◽  
Ivy Riano ◽  
Anwaar Saeed

293 Background: Several systemic agents are approved for use in the first line and second line treatment settings for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). However, choosing among available options in both first and second line settings remain difficult due to the paucity of head-to-head comparative trials. Therefore, we have conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis for the indirect comparison of the systemic agents in the first line and second line settings. Methods: Published clinical trials that have evaluated systemic agents in the first line and second line settings in advanced HCC from inception to April 2020 were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Databases and abstracts presented in the main annual ASCO and ESMO conferences from 2017 to 2020. Studies published in English providing clinical outcomes data including overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) were included in the analysis. The primary outcomes of interest were pooled hazard ratios (HR) of OS and OR of ORR in first line studies and HR of PFS and OR of ORR for second line studies. OS for second line agents were synthesized in a qualitative analysis. Results: Overall, 8,335 patients (13 studies) and 4,612 patients (11 studies) were analyzed in phase II/III trials for first line and second line settings respectively. In the first line setting, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib were ranked highest as the regimens associated with the greatest OS (A+B, HR 0.58, 95% CI, 0.42-0.80; P-score 0.993) and ORR (lenva, OR 3.34, 95% CI, 2.17-5.14; P-score 0.080) respectively. In the second line setting, cabozantinib showed the highest probability of greatest PFS benefit (HR 0.44, 95% CI, 0.29-0.66; P-score 0.854) as well as the highest probability of greatest ORR benefit (cabo, OR 9.40, 95% CI, 1.25-70.83, P-score, 0.266). Conclusions: In the first line setting, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab may be the superior regimen whereas lenvatinib may be considered as the initial option when robust tumor responses are preferred. In the second line setting, cabozantinib may be the preferred option including in cases when robust tumor responses are favored.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 272-272
Author(s):  
Changhoon Yoo ◽  
Jwa Hoon Kim ◽  
Min-Hee Ryu ◽  
Sook Ryun Park ◽  
Joycelyn Jie Xin Lee ◽  
...  

272 Background: Atezolizumab-bevacizumab is the new standard of care for first-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the optimal sequence of therapy after disease progression on atezolizumab-bevacizumab is unclear. Methods: This multinational, multicenter, retrospective study assessed clinical outcomes of patients with advanced HCC who received subsequent systemic therapy after progression on atezolizumab-bevacizumab in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore between July 2016 and April 2019. Results: A total of 49 patients were included; the median age was 60 years (range, 3780) and 73.5% were male. All patients were classified as Child-Pugh A and Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer stage C. Multikinase inhibitors (MKIs), including sorafenib (n = 29), lenvatinib (n = 19), and cabozantinib (n = 1), were used as second-line therapy for all patients. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 6.1% and 63.3%, respectively, in all patients. With a median follow-up duration of 11.0 months, median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.84.9) and 14.7 months (95% CI 8.121.2) in all patients. Median PFS with lenvatinib was significantly longer than that with sorafenib (6.1 months vs. 2.5 months; P= 0.004), although there was no significant difference in median OS (16.6 months vs. 11.2 months; P= 0.347). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade and grade 3 occurred in 42 (85.7%) and 8 (16.3%) of patients. Common TRAEs included hand-foot syndrome (HFS) (n = 26, 53.1%), fatigue (n = 14, 28.6%), hypertension (n = 14, 28.6%), and diarrhea (n = 12, 24.5%). Conclusions: Second-line treatment with MKIs, mostly sorafenib and lenvatinib, showed comparable efficacy and manageable toxicities in patients with advanced HCC after disease progression on atezolizumab-bevacizumab.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107815522110450
Author(s):  
Jacopo Giuliani ◽  
Beatrice Mantoan ◽  
Andrea Bonetti

The introduction of targeted agents (lenvatinib) and immune-based therapies (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab) for first-line advanced hepatocellular carcinoma provided new therapeutic options. The aim of this paper was to assess the cost-effectiveness of lenvatinib and the combination of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in first-line for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Pivotal phase III randomized controlled trials were considered. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated as the ratio between the difference of the costs in the intervention and in the control groups (pharmacy costs) and the difference between the effect in the intervention and in the control groups (progression free survival). One thousand four hundred and fifty five patients were included. The lowest cost for month of progression free survival-gain was associated with lenvatinib, with 139.24 € per month progression free survival-gained. Combining pharmacological costs of drugs with the measure of efficacy represented by progression free survival, lenvatinib is a cost-effective treatment in first-line for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. TPS4658-TPS4658
Author(s):  
Yu Yang ◽  
Qiu Li

TPS4658 Background: Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is common among advanced hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC), resulting in poor prognosis. As the standard first-line treatment, the efficacy of Sorafenib is not satisfactory in HCC with PVTT. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have made a breakthrough in treatment of advanced HCC, objective response rate (ORR) of anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody monotherapy is only 17-20%. Recently, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with anti-angiogenesis therapy have shown good efficacy in the clinical studies. However, the data on immunotherapy for HCC with PVTT are still limited. Toripalimab is the first Chinese-produced anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody marketed. We designed the study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Sorafenib plus Toripalimab as the first-line treatment for unresectable HCC with PVTT. Methods: The study is a multicenter, single-arm, phase Ib/II trial. The primary objectives are 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate and safety. Secondary objectives include ORR, disease control rate, PFS, overall survival. The escalation stage includes two dose cohorts: Sorafenib 400 mg po qd or 400 mg bid combined with Toripalimab 240 mg iv d1 q3w. 6-12 patients are estimated to evaluate the dose-limiting toxicity within the first 42 days of administration. In the expansion stage, patients are treated with the recommended dose based on the escalation stage, until progressive disease or intolerable toxicity. Assuming Sorafenib plus Toripalimab can improve the 6-month PFS rate to 40% (Sorafenib:20%, β = 0.2, α = 0.05) and dropout is 10%, this stage need 39 patients. A total of 45-51 patients are enrolled. Major eligibility requirements include: unresectable HCC with diagnoses confirmed histologically or cytologically, or confirmed clinically in accordance with Chinese guideline for HCC diagnosis and treatment (v2017); radiographic evidence of PVTT; age ≥18 and < 75 years; at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST 1.1; a predicted life expectancy ≥ 3 months; ECOG PS≤1, Child-Pugh class A or B (≤7); no any prior systemic anti-cancer treatment; adequate organ function. Patients with hepatitis B treated with antiviral therapy (viral load < 100 IU/mL) or patients with chronic hepatitis C can be included. The study is open and actively enrolling at time of submission. Clinical trial information: NCT04069949 .


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