Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Versus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: a Propensity Score Matching Study

BackgroundThe optimal management for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) versus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC patients with PVTT. MethodsThis retrospective study included 572 HCC patients with PVTT (GKR, 207; TACE, 365). Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis identified 188 matched pairs of patients. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).ResultsBefore PSM, the GKR group demonstrated significantly median OS (mOS) than TACE group (17.4 vs. 8.0 months, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, GKR was associated with significantly longer OS for patients with PVTT II-IV (17.5 vs. 8.2 months, p < 0.001; 19.3 vs. 7.4 months, p < 0.001; 14.5 vs. 6.6 months, p = 0.008, respectively) and comparable OS for patients with PVTT I. After PSM, the GKR group had also a longer OS (mOS) than TACE group (15.8 vs. 9.8 months, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the GKR group demonstrated superior mOS for patients with PVTT II-IV (all P < 0.05) and comparable OS for patients with PVTT I. ConclusionsGKR was associated better OS than TACE in HCC patients with PVTT, especially for patients with PVTT II-IV.

Infiltrative Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Versus Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy

AimsTo compare the effectiveness, safety, and survival outcomes in patients with infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).MethodsA total of 160 patients with infiltrative HCCs who underwent initial TACE (n = 68) and HAIC (n = 92) treatment from January 2016 to March 2020. We applied the propensity score matching (PSM) to adjust for potential imbalances. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were compared between two groups. Multivariate analysis was evaluated through the forward stepwise Cox regression model and β coefficients was applied for the nomogram construction.ResultsThe median follow-up duration for the study population was 20.8 months. After PSM, the median OS and PFS in the HAIC group were significantly higher than those in the TACE group (OS, 13.3 vs 10.8 months; p = 0.043; PFS, 7.8 vs 4.0 months; p = 0.035) and the ORR and DCR in the HAIC group were significantly higher than those in the TACE group (ORR, 34.8% vs 11.8%; p = 0.001; DCR, 54.3% vs 36.8%; p = 0.028). A nomogram model comprising albumin-bilirubin grade, treatment responses, sessions, and treatment modalities, showed good predictive accuracy and discrimination (training set, concordance index [C-index] of 0.789; validation set, C-index of 0.757), which outperformed other staging systems and conventional indices.ConclusionHAIC improve significantly survival compared to TACE in patients with infiltrative HCC. A prospective randomized trial is ongoing to confirm this finding.

Impact of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography with Automated Feeder Detection Software on the Survival Outcome of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma During Chemoembolization

Background Inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is treated by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). We compared patient survival outcomes between CBCT-TACE with automated tumor-feeder detection (AFD) software and DSA-TACE alone in inoperable HCC patients. Methods We reviewed the data of 337 HCC patients treated by CBCT-TACE or DSA-TACE between January 2015 and December 2019. Treatment response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and complications between the CBCT-TACE and DSA-TACE groups were compared. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the potential prognostic factors affecting survival after chemoembolization. Results Tumor response rates in complete response, partial response, and stable disease at 1 month were 67%, 28%, and 4% in the CBCT-TACE group and 22%, 48%, and 9% in the DSA-TACE group, respectively. OS rates of patients in the CBCT-TACE vs DSA-TACE groups were 87% vs. 54%, 44% vs. 15%, and 34% vs. 7% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The CBCT-TACE group had significantly improved PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that CBCT with AFD software was an independent factor associated with longer OS (hazard ratio, 0.38; p < 0.001). Conclusions Compared with conventional DSA, combining selective TACE with CBCT and AFD software leads to better tumor response and prolongs OS in patients with inoperable HCC.

Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin Versus Transarterial Chemoembolization for Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Randomized Phase III Trial

PURPOSE In a previous phase II trial, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) yielded higher treatment responses than transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in large unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to compare the overall survival of patients treated with FOLFOX-HAIC versus TACE as first-line treatment in this population. METHODS In this randomized, multicenter, open-label trial, adults with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (largest diameter ≥ 7 cm) without macrovascular invasion or extrahepatic spread were randomly assigned 1:1 to FOLFOX-HAIC (oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2, leucovorin 400 mg/m2, fluorouracil bolus 400 mg/m2 on day 1, and fluorouracil infusion 2,400 mg/m2 for 24 hours, once every 3 weeks) or TACE (epirubicin 50 mg, lobaplatin 50 mg, and lipiodol and polyvinyl alcohol particles). The primary end point was overall survival by intention-to-treat analysis. Safety was assessed in patients who received ≥ 1 cycle of study treatment. RESULTS Between October 1, 2016, and November 23, 2018, 315 patients were randomly assigned to FOLFOX-HAIC (n = 159) or TACE (n = 156). The median overall survival in the FOLFOX-HAIC group was 23.1 months (95% CI, 18.5 to 27.7) versus 16.1 months (95% CI, 14.3 to 17.9) in the TACE group (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.75; P < .001). The FOLFOX-HAIC group showed a higher response rate than the TACE group (73 [46%] v 28 [18%]; P < .001) and a longer median progression-free survival (9.6 [95% CI, 7.4 to 11.9] v 5.4 months [95% CI, 3.8 to 7.0], P < .001). The incidence of serious adverse events was higher in the TACE group than in the FOLFOX-HAIC group (30% v 19%, P = .03). Two deaths in the FOLFOX-HAIC group and two in the TACE group were deemed to be treatment-related. CONCLUSION FOLFOX-HAIC significantly improved overall survival over TACE in patients with unresectable large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Effect of Huaier Granule and Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization on the Treatment of Advanced Liver Cancer

Objective — To explore the effect of Huaier granule combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of advanced liver cancer. Methods — From January 2017 to January 2020, 150 patients with advanced liver cancer admitted to our hospital were selected as clinical subjects for a prospective non-randomized controlled study based on different treatment schedules. Among them, 50 patients were distributed to TACE group with TACE treatment alone. Besides, 50 patients were assigned to chemotherapy group and received systemic chemotherapy with Folfox4 regimen alone. Among them, 50 patients were distributed as the observation group. The therapeutic effects of the three groups were compared. Results: The effective rate and disease control rate in observation group were significantly higher than those in TACE group and chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). The rate of adr in observation group and TACE group was significantly lower than that in chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). The survival rate of observation group was significantly higher than that of TACE group and chemotherapy group after 12 months follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusion — The combined treatment of huaier granule and TACE can improve the therapeutic effect and survival rate of patients with advanced liver cancer.

Efficacy of Combined Therapy with Drug-Eluting Beads-Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Followed by Conventional Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multi-Center Study

EB-TACE has recently been performed because of its lower hepatotoxicity compared to cTACE in less advanced HCC. However, local recurrence at the tumor margins is often observed after DEB-TACE. cTACE involves filling the intratumoral sinusoids with lipiodol-containing anticancer drugs and accumulating in the drainage area, which is the first site of HCC recurrence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of DEB-TACE followed by cTACE in HCC patients. Between 2014 and 2020, 65 patients with Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage B (intermediate stage) of HCC were enrolled and divided into two groups: one group received DEB-TACE followed by cTACE (cTACE group) and the other group received only DEB-TACE (non-cTACE group). Sixty-five patients were medically followed. The median observation time was 14 ± 13.1 months after the first DEB-TACE and outcomes were analyzed for multiple factors. Results: The complete response rate was significantly higher in the cTACE group than in the non-TACE group. The analysis showed that the only factor that increased the CR rate in the cTACE group was the total tumor number (less than four). The OS rate of CR patients was higher than that of non-CR patients in the cTACE group. Adverse events in the cTACE group included severe thrombocytopenia but only in one of twenty-seven patients. Conclusions: The combined therapy with DEB-TACE followed by cTACE may be a new effective therapeutic strategy for the intermediate stage of HCC patients.

Lenvatinib plus TACE with or without pembrolizumab for the treatment of initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma harbouring PD-L1 expression: a retrospective study

Purpose The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the clinical outcomes of pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus lenvatinib-TACE sequential therapy in selected populations of Chinese patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) harbouring programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression. Methods Consecutive patients with initial PD-L1-positive uHCC who received pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE or lenvatinib-TACE sequential therapy were retrospectively identified from three medical institutions during 2016–2020. The primary endpoints included the rate of conversion therapy, defined as converting initially uHCC to hepatectomy, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS); secondary endpoint was the frequency of key adverse events (AEs). Results In total, 220 consecutively recruited patients were retrospectively reviewed, 78 of whom were ineligible according to the current criteria, leaving 142 patients [pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE: n = 70, median age 58 years (range 36–69) and lenvatinib-TACE: n = 72, 57 years (35–68)] who were eligible for the study. The median duration of follow-up was 27 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 26.3–28.7 months]. At the last follow-up, the rate of conversion therapy was 25.7% in the pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE group and 11.1% in the lenvatinib-TACE group (p = 0.025). The median OS was 18.1 months (95% CI 16.5–20.7) in the pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE group versus 14.1 months (95% CI 12.2–16.9) in the lenvatinib-TACE group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.56, 95% CI 0.38–0.83; p = 0.004]. A distinct difference in the median PFS interval between the groups was detected [9.2 months (95% CI 7.1–10.4) in the pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE group vs. 5.5 months (95% CI 3.9–6.6) in the lenvatinib-TACE group (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.39–0.91; p = 0.006)]. The rates of the key AEs assessed, which were hypertension, nausea, and rash, were higher in the pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE group than in the lenvatinib-TACE group (all p < 0.05). Conclusion Among the selected populations of patients with initial PD-L1-positive uHCC, pembrolizumab-lenvatinib-TACE sequential therapy may have promising antitumour activity, with an acceptable conversion rate and a well-characterized safety profile.

Radiofrequency Ablation, TACE and Combined Treatment for Multiple Recurrent HCC Patients Within the Milan Criteria

AimThe aim of this study was to compare radiofrequency ablation ,TACE and their combined treatment in terms of safety and efficacy.MethodsRetrospective analysis was carried out on the medical records of patients who had previously undergone curative hepatic resection and suffered multiple recurrent HCCs within the Milan criteria. The cohort of patients receiving RFA was compared to the cohort of patients receiving TACE and combined treatment. Disease outcome was investigated in terms of survival after recurrence.RESULTSFrom January 2006 to April 2014, 964 patients with recurrent HCC were enrolled in the database of West China Hospital. A total of 360 patients (37.3%) were enrolled in this retrospective study based on the inclusion criteria. In these patients, 177 (49.2%) received TACE, 121 (33.6%) received RFA, and 62 (17.2%) underwent combined treatment (CT). There was a statistically significant difference between the survival rates among the 3 groups: in the TACE group, the median survival time (MST) was 25 months, with 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 93.1%, 50.0% and 26.4%, respectively; in the RFA group, the MST was 33 months, with 1- ,2- , and 3-year survival rates of 96.7%, 65.7% and 40.1%, respectively; and in the CT group, the MST was 36 months, with 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 96.8%, 78.1% and 48.6%, respectively.CONCLUSIONCompared with TACE, RFA and combined treatment demonstrated a survival benefit for managing patients who had HCC recurrence with a total of 2-3 tumours.

Addition of Camrelizumab to Transarterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Untreatable Progression

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab addition to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with TACE-related untreatable progression (UP).Methods: Patients with HCC who received addition of camrelizumab due to UP after initial TACE treatment were enrolled at our institution between May 2019 and January 2021. Patients were assessed for tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events. Risk factors for PFS were evaluated with logistic regression analysis.Results: A total of 41 patients were included. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 24.4% and 61.0% at 2-3 months, and 12.2% and 58.5% at 6 months, respectively. The median PFS of the patients were 6 months (95% CI: 3.8 months, 8.2 months). Of the 41 patients, 23 patients received camrelizumab combined with TACE (hereafter, camrelizumab-TACE), in whom 52 combined TACE procedures were performed, with a median of 2 procedures (range, 1-6) per patient. The remaining 18 patients received camrelizumab alone due to TACE contraindications. Multivariable analysis indicated that camrelizumab-TACE was an independent prognostic factor for PFS. Subgroup analysis showed a median PFS of 8 months in the camrelizumab-TACE group and 3 months in the camrelizumab monotherapy group (P<0.001). No treatment-related mortalities occurred. Seventeen patients (41.5%) developed at least one type of adverse events after treatment with camrelizumab, with reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (n=14, 34.1%) being the most common adverse events.Conclusions: Addition of camrelizumab to TACE offered an effective and safe treatment for HCC with UP.

Sorafenib Versus Apatinib Both Combined Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis: A Comparative Retrospective Study

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combining with sorafenib or apatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).MethodsFrom June 2015 to March 2020, a total of 89 consecutive advanced HCC patients with PVTT who were treated with sorafenib-TACE (S-TACE) or apatinib-TACE (A-TACE) in our center were enrolled. The overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP), tumor response, and adverse events in the two groups were compared.ResultsThere were 32 and 41 patients included in the S-TACE group and A-TACE group, respectively. The median follow-up was 10.0 months (range, 3.0–36.0 months) in the whole study. The median OS (11.0 vs. 10.0 months, P = 0.419), median TTP (5.0 vs. 6.0 months, P = 0.073), and tumor response (P = 0.529) between the S-TACE group and the A-TACE group were not significantly different. The adverse events related to sorafenib or apatinib were tolerable.ConclusionS-TACE and A-TACE exhibited comparable prognosis for HCC patients with PVTT, which provide another effective and safe method of A-TACE for these patients except for conventional S-TACE.