Adaptation of lenvatinib treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumor thrombosis

A real-world drug safety surveillance study from the FAERS database of hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving pembrolizumab alone and plus lenvatinib

Pembrolizumab plus Lenvatinib is regarded as a significant treatment option for advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to meticulously monitor and identify adverse events (AEs) related to this combined therapy, enhance patient safety, and offer evidence-based recommendations for the appropriate use of these drugs. We gathered adverse drug reactions (ADRs)-related data from the FAERS database for HCC patients who received Pembrolizumab, both alone and in combination with Lenvatinib from the first quarter of 2014 to the fourth quarter of 2023. ADRs signal detection was performed using the ROR, PRR, BCPNN, MHRA, and MGPS methods. We gathered data on 459 and 358 AEs from patients with HCC treated with pembrolizumab alone and in combination with lenvatinib, respectively. Using four signal quantification techniques, we identified 50 and 38 distinct AEs, which were classified into 15 different System organ class (SOC) categories. Notably, the most common AEs associated with pembrolizumab were gastrointestinal disorders and hepatobiliary disorders. In both patient groups, the most frequently reported AEs were hepatic encephalopathy, blood bilirubin increased and diarrhea. We also observed some unexpected significant AEs, such as dehydration, skin ulcers, and intestinal perforation. The countries reporting the highest number of AEs were the United States, followed by China, France, and Japan. The median onset time for AEs related to pembrolizumab alone and its combination with lenvatinib was 80.5 days (interquartile range 20.0-217.3 days) and 77.5 days (interquartile range 19.7-212.3 days), respectively. This study offers new insights into the monitoring and management of ADRs in HCC patients receiving pembrolizumab alone or in combination with lenvatinib. It is crucial to closely monitor the safety of this treatment regimen in HCC patients to avoid serious AEs.

A real-world drug safety surveillance study of lenvatinib from the FAERS database

BACKGROUND

There is a need to determine lenvatinib-associated real-world adverse events (AEs) as its adverse effects may result in its discontinuation.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Lenvatinib-associated AEs were analyzed and quantified and risk signals from the first quarter of 2015 to the fourth quarter of 2023 were detected through data mining. Potential targets for lenvatinib-associated cholecystitis, cholangitis, and hepatic encephalopathy were identified by data mining.

RESULT

68 Preferred Terms (PTs) with an important imbalance were kept. Unexpected AEs, such as immune-mediated hepatitis, portal vein thrombosis and adrenal insufficiency were associated with the use of lenvatinib use. Lenvatinib alone was more strongly associated with adrenal insufficiency than lenvatinib and pembrolizumab combination. Hepatic encephalopathy was more strongly correlated with drug use when Lenvatinib was administered to male patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Most AEs occurred during the first month after treatment, with a median onset time of 41 days. FGFR4, PDGFRA, and KIT (Lenvatinib targets) are potentially linked to cholecystitis, cholangitis, and hepatic encephalopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified Lenvatinib-associated AEs and discovered new AEs that will be useful for clinical monitoring and risk assessment.

Survival Benefit of Synchronous Lenvatinib Combined PD-1 Inhibitors for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Beyond Oligometastasis

Purpose

Strategies therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond oligometastasis are limited. The optimal sequence of systemic treatment for advanced HCC is not yet clear. Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous lenvatinib combined PD-1 inhibitor on advanced HCC beyond oligometastasis.

Patients and Methods

A total of 232 patients were enrolled in our retrospective study. Patients divided into three groups. (a) Lenvatinib plus simultaneous PD-1 inhibitor (Simultaneous group, n=58); (b) patients received PD-1 inhibitor before the tumor progression with continued lenvatinib administration (Before PD group, n=77); (c) patients received PD-1 inhibitor after the tumor progression (After PD group, n=97). To analyze overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among the three groups.

Results

The estimated 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-mon OS for Simultaneous group patients were 100%, 93.1%, 63.4%, 48.3%, whereas the OS rates were 100%, 78%, 36.3%, 23.6% in Before PD group, and 99%, 61.2%, 22.1%, 7.5% in After PD group. The OS rates were obviously improved with the use of simultaneous PD-1 inhibitor among the three groups (P <0.001). The estimated 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-month PFS rates for patients were 89.6%, 44.8%, 24.6%, 6% in After PD group, 90.9%, 59.7%, 27.3%, 12.4% in Before PD group and 98.3%, 81%, 51.7%, 39.7% in Simultaneous group, respectively. PFS rate was significantly different among the three groups (P <0.001).

Conclusion

Synchronous administration of lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitors improved survival rate significantly. The synchronous combination could represent a promising strategy in HCC beyond oligometastasis.

Comparison of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib are currently available as first-line therapy for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, comparative efficacy studies are still limited. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these treatments in HCC patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).

METHODS

We retrospectively included patients who received either atezolizumab plus bevacizumab or lenvatinib as first-line systemic therapy for HCC with PVTT. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and secondary endpoints included progressionfree survival (PFS) and disease control rate (DCR) determined by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, version 1.1.

RESULTS

A total of 52 patients were included: 30 received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 22 received lenvatinib. The median follow-up duration was 6.4 months (interquartile range, 3.9-9.8). The median OS was 10.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7 to not estimated) with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 5.8 months (95% CI, 4.8 to not estimated) with lenvatinib (P=0.26 by log-rank test). There was no statistically significant difference in OS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.34-1.49; P=0.37). The median PFS was similar (P=0.63 by log-rank test), with 4.1 months (95% CI, 3.3-7.7) for atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 4.3 months (95% CI, 2.6-5.8) for lenvatinib (aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.51-1.69; P=0.80). HRs were similar after inverse probability treatment weighting. The DCRs were 23.3% and 18.2% in patients receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib, respectively (P=0.74).

CONCLUSION

The effectiveness of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib was comparable for the treatment of HCC with PVTT.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Lenvatinib and PD-1 Inhibitors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Main Trunk Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Purpose

In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors have been used in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and local therapies, creating a new era in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). However, the benefits of this triple therapy remain unclear. Thus, this study evaluated whether the combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), lenvatinib, and programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors (triple therapy) was effective and safe for unresectable HCC with main trunk portal vein tumor thrombus (Vp4).

Patients and Methods

This study enrolled patients receiving triple therapy at four institutions between August 2018 and April 2022. Patient characteristics and course of treatment were extracted from patient records. Tumors and tumor thrombus response were evaluated using an HCC-specific modified RECIST. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis demonstrated overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Adverse events (AEs) were evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0.

Results

Median follow-up duration was 18 (4.0-26.3) months. Overall, 41 patients with HCC and Vp4 receiving first-line triple therapy were enrolled. The intrahepatic tumor objective response rate was 68.3%. The median OS was 21.7 (range, 2.8-30.5) months, whereas the median PFS was 14.5 (range, 1.3-27.6) months. Twelve patients received sequential resections. Resection was independently associated with favorable OS and PFS. Fever (31.7%), hypertension (26.8%), fatigue (24.4%), abnormal liver function (63.4%) and decreased appetite (21.9%) were the AEs frequently associated with treatment. No treatment-related mortality occurred.

Conclusion

TACE plus lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibition was effective and tolerable for treating unresectable HCC with Vp4, with a high tumor response rate and favorable prognosis.

Pharmacokinetic considerations for angiogenesis inhibitors used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth malignancy in terms of frequency and the fourth malignancy in terms of cancer-related death worldwide. Systemic therapy of advanced HCC has probably gone through the greatest wave of change in the last decade, with the introduction of several anti-angiogenic drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors, able to significantly improve patients' prognosis.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we summarize the pharmacokinetic characteristic of the antiangiogenic drugs currently approved for the treatment of HCC, from oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib and cabozantinib) to monoclonal antibodies (bevacizumab and ramucirumab), focusing on the main aspects that differ among compounds from the same class, on factors that can exert an influence on pharmacokinetic parameters and the main issues that could limit their clinical use.

EXPERT OPINION

Anti-angiogenic drugs have different profiles in terms of bioavailability, metabolism, elimination and interindividual variability in their pharmacokinetics and effectiveness. More studies should be developed to address the intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing pharmacokinetics parameters to improve the individual therapeutic response and, furthermore, to evaluate the benefit and the harm of systemic therapy for advanced HCC in selected patients with liver impairment.

A case of Vp4 hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombosis extending into the confluence of the splenic/portal vein achieved a good prognosis with emergent hepatectomy and postoperative adjuvant therapy with lenvatinib

In this report, we describe a case of highly advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombosis extending into the main portal vein of the pancreas that was successfully treated with adjuvant lenvatinib after right hepatic resection with thrombectomy. A 70-year-old woman was referred from the clinic because of elevated hepatobiliary enzymes. The patient was positive for the hepatitis B virus antigen at our hospital. The tumor markers were highly elevated with alpha-fetoprotein (14.5 U/mL) and protein induced by vitamin K absence (PIVKAII) (1545 ng/mL), suggesting hepatocellular carcinoma. Dynamic abdominal computed tomography showed an early enhanced tumor approximately 6 cm in size and portal vein tumor thrombosis filling the main portal vein, but not extending into the splenic or superior mesenteric vein (SMV). On magnetic resonance imaging 1 week after CT, portal vein tumor thrombosis had extended to the confluence of the splenic vein with the SMV, indicating rapid tumor growth. Thus, we performed emergent right hepatectomy with tumor thrombectomy. Postoperatively, we treated the patient with lenvatinib for a tumor reduction surgery. Fortunately, the patient was alive 2 years postoperatively without recurrence. This case report suggests that a favorable outcome may be achieved with multidisciplinary treatment including resection and postoperative treatment with lenvatinib.

A Profile of Avelumab Plus Axitinib in the Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Until recently, the approved first-line treatment for metastatic RCC (mRCC) consisted of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) monotherapy. The landscape of first-line treatment has been transformed in the last few years with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) or VEGFR TKI plus ICI combinations. This article focuses on the profile of one of these ICI plus VEGFR TKI combination, avelumab plus axitinib. We detail the characteristics of each drug separately, and then we explore the rationale for their association, its efficacy and the resulting toxicity. Finally, we examine the factors associated with avelumab plus axitinib outcomes, and their impact on therapeutic strategy.

Knockdown of FBI-1 Inhibits the Warburg Effect and Enhances the Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Molecular Targeted Agents via miR-3692/HIF-1α

The transcription suppressor factor FBI-1 (the factor that binds to inducer of short transcripts-1) is an important regulator of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this work, the results showed that FBI-1 promoted the Warburg effect and enhances the resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to molecular targeted agents. Knockdown of FBI-1 via its small-interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited the ATP level, lactate productions, glucose uptake or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activation of HCC cells. Transfection of siFBI-1 also decreased the expression of the Warburg-effect-related factors: hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), or GLUT1, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related factors, Vimentin or N-cadherin. The positive correlation between the expression of FBI-1 with HIF-1α, LDHA, or GLUT1 was confirmed in HCC tissues. Mechanistically, the miR-30c repressed the expression of HIF-1α by binding to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of HIF-1α in a sequence-specific manner, and FBI-1 enhanced the expression of HIF-1α and HIF-1α pathway's activation by repressing the expression of miR. By modulating the miR-30c/HIF-1α, FBI-1 promoted the Warburg effect or the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HCC cells and promoted the resistance of HCC cells to molecular targeted agents.