Is Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Superior Even to Lenvatinib? A Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison

Liver cancer from the perspective of single-cell sequencing: a review combined with bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

Liver cancer (LC) is a prevalent malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Extensive research has been conducted to enhance patient outcomes and develop effective prevention strategies, ranging from molecular mechanisms to clinical interventions. Single-cell sequencing, as a novel bioanalysis technology, has significantly contributed to the understanding of the global cognition and dynamic changes in liver cancer. However, there is a lack of bibliometric analysis in this specific research area. Therefore, the objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure and research hotspots in the field of single-cell sequencing in liver cancer research through the use of bibliometrics.

METHOD

Publications related to the application of single-cell sequencing technology to liver cancer research as of December 31, 2023, were searched on the web of science core collection (WoSCC) database. VOSviewers, CiteSpace, and R package "bibliometrix" were used to conduct this bibliometric analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 331 publications from 34 countries, primarily led by China and the United States, were included in this study. The research focuses on the application of single cell sequencing technology to liver cancer, and the number of related publications has been increasing year by year. The main research institutions involved in this field are Fudan University, Sun Yat-Sen University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Frontiers in Immunology and Nature Communications is the most popular journal in this field, while Cell is the most frequently co-cited journal. These publications are authored by 2799 individuals, with Fan Jia and Zhou Jian having the most published papers, and Llovet Jm being the most frequently co-cited author. The use of single cell sequencing to explore the immune microenvironment of liver cancer, as well as its implications in immunotherapy and chemotherapy, remains the central focus of this field. The emerging research hotspots are characterized by keywords such as 'Gene-Expression', 'Prognosis', 'Tumor Heterogeneity', 'Immunoregulation', and 'Tumor Immune Microenvironment'.

CONCLUSION

This is the first bibliometric study that comprehensively summarizes the research trends and developments on the application of single cell sequencing in liver cancer. The study identifies recent research frontiers and hot directions, providing a valuable reference for researchers exploring the landscape of liver cancer, understanding the composition of the immune microenvironment, and utilizing single-cell sequencing technology to guide and enhance the prognosis of liver cancer patients.

Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Versus Lenvatinib for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often diagnosed in advanced stages. Following sorafenib, lenvatinib (LENV) has been approved as a first-line treatment option for unresectable HCC. In the past few years, at least 9 large-scale cohort studies have examined the efficacy and safety of LENV compared to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (ATE/BEV) in unresectable HCC, but there is currently no direct meta-analysis conducted for a comprehensive consolidation. To provide the most updated meta-analysis of the clinical efficacy and safety of ATE/BEV versus LENV for patients with unresectable HCC. Our studies comparing the efficacy and safety of ATE/BEV and LENV in unresectable HCC were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to February 2023. Outcomes measured were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), mortality, complete response (CR), partial response (PR), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progressive disease (PD), stable disease (SD), and adverse events (AEs). Seven eligible studies involving 4428 patients (1569 in the ATE/BEV group and 2859 in the LENV group) were included in the narrative synthesis. All baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups except for Child-Pugh class B. Ultimately, our meta-analysis showed that the LENV group had longer OS and PFS than the ATE/BEV group. Moreover, patients on LENV were more likely to achieve SD, whereas those on ATE/BEV were more likely to achieve PR.

Efficacy and safety of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib are the current first-line systematic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, the selection of initial treatment among the two therapies are controversial. This meta-analysis aims to compare efficacy and safety between atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib.

METHODS

We systematically searched for studies on atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib in the online databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The outcome data including overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), tumor response and adverse events (AEs), were independently extracted by two authors in a standardized way.

RESULTS

Eight retrospective cohort studies with 3690 patients (atezolizumab plus bevacizumab: 1680, lenvatinib: 2010) were included in the meta-analysis. The atezolizumab plus bevacizumab group had significant longer PFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.76, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.65-0.88; I squared statistic (I2) = 0.0%, p = 0.590], compared with lenvatinib group but no significant difference in OS (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.01; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.597), objective response rate (ORR) [risk ratio (RR) 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-1.02; I2 = 19.3%, p = 0.283] and disease control rate (DCR) (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.98-1.09; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.467) among them. Moreover, patients receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab exhibited lower incidences of grade 3/4 AEs than those receiving lenvatinib (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51-0.83; I2 = 69.3%, p = 0.003). However, in non-viral patients group, lenvatinib delivered favorable outcomes in OS (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.04-1.67; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.380) compared with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

CONCLUSION

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab provides potential advantage in efficacy and better safety than lenvatinib in the treatment of uHCC. Lenvatinib is an appropriate effective alternative to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients without viral infecting.

Safety and Efficacy of Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab Combination as a First Line Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common leading causes of cancer death worldwide. As most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease, systemic therapy remains the backbone of treatment. In recent years, we have witnessed the transformation of advanced HCC treatment landscapes from single-agent targeted therapies to immunotherapy combinations, with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab becoming the new first-line standard of care with an increase in overall survival, progression-free survival, and objective response rate compared to sorafenib, and a positive impact on quality of life. Although the efficacy and safety of this combination have been confirmed regardless of ethnicity, age, and etiology, only a subgroup of patients seems to benefit the most from this treatment. Currently, predictive serum and tissue biomarkers to select patients who are most likely to respond to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab are lacking. Moreover, the optimal subsequent therapy for patients who progress on first-line atezolizumab plus bevacizumab remains unknown, clinical trials are ongoing, and real-world data are needed to determine the most effective treatment sequence. Importantly, careful evaluation of bleeding risk and preservation of adequate liver function are fundamental to improve patients' prognosis, especially when subsequent treatments are administered.

Efficacy and safety of HAIC alone vs. HAIC combined with lenvatinib for treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

To investigate efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with lenvatinib (HAIC-Len) and HAIC alone for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (Ad-HCC). Totally 349 patients with Ad-HCC participated in the research from February 2018 to October 2020. On the basis of propensity score matching (PSM), 132 and 110 cases were assigned to the HAIC group and the HAIC-Len group, respectively, with a ratio of 1:1. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and complications were compared between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were utilized to estimate cumulative OS and PFS. Additionally, uni- and multi-variate Cox regression models were employed to identify significant independent factors. The median follow-up period in this study was set to be 20.8 months. Following PSM, the one-, two- and three-year cumulative OS rates in the HAIC-Len and HAIC groups were 63.6%, 12.1%, and 3.0%, and 47.2%, 11.8%, and 2.7%, respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0.001). The first-three-year cumulative incidence rates PFS in the HAIC-Len and the HAIC groups were 15.2%, 1.5%, and ND, and 11.8%, 4.5%, and 3.6%, respectively, with no significant difference detected (P = 0.092). BMI (HR 0.709. 95% CI 0.549, 0.915. P = 0.008) and AST (HR 1.005. 95% CI 1.003, 1.007. P < 0.001) represented independent prognostic factors for OS. Additionally, the two groups exhibited no significant difference in the incidence rates of adverse events. HAIC-Len significantly improved survival outcomes of patients with Ad-HCC and demonstrated acceptable toxicity compared to HAIC alone.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a large real-life worldwide population

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib have not been compared in a randomised controlled trial. We conducted a retrospective multi-centre study to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of lenvatinib and atezolizumab with bevacizumab as a first-line treatment for patients with unresectable HCC in the real-world scenario.

METHODS

Clinical features of lenvatinib and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab patients were balanced through inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) methodology, which weights patients' characteristics and measured outcomes of each patient in both treatment arms. Overall survival (OS) was the primary end-point.

RESULTS

The analysis included 1341 patients who received lenvatinib, and 864 patients who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab. After IPTW adjustment, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab did not show a survival advantage over lenvatinib HR 0.97 (p = 0.739). OS was prolonged by atezolizumab plus bevacizumab over lenvatinib in viral patients (HR: 0.76; p = 0.024). Conversely, OS was prolonged by lenvatinib in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (HR: 1.88; p = 0.014). In the IPTW-adjusted population, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab provided better safety profile for most of the recorded adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Our study did not identify any meaningful difference in OS between atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib. Although some hints are provided suggesting that patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease might benefit more from lenvatinib therapy and patients with viral aetiology more from atezolizumab plus bevacizumab.

FDA-Approved Monoclonal Antibodies for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: What Do We Know So Far?

Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an advanced primary liver malignancy with a poor prognosis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has, to date, approved nivolumab, pembrolizumab, ramucirumab, nivolumab/ipilimumab, atezolizumab/bevacizumab, as well as tremelimumab/durvalumab, as first- or second-line monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for unresectable HCC. The present review examines the current state of knowledge, and provides a useful update on the safety and efficacy of these therapeutic agents, thus attempting to define the suitability of each mAb for different patient subgroups.

Immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma: how will it reshape treatment sequencing?

The treatment landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has broadened with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) setting a novel standard of care. With the increased number of therapies either in first or in further line, disentangling the possible treatment sequences has become much more complex. Yet, all the second-line therapies have been evaluated after sorafenib. After ICIs, offering multikinase inhibitors is a widespread approach, either shifting forward sorafenib or lenvatinib, or choosing among regorafenib or cabozantinib, already approved in the refractory setting. Under specific circumstances, ICIs could be maintained beyond disease progression in patients with proven clinical benefit, as supported by some data emerging from phase III clinical trials with immunotherapy in HCC. Rechallenge with ICIs is an additional attractive alternative, although requiring careful and individual evaluation as efficacy and safety of such a strategy have not been yet clarified. Still, a considerable number of patients displays primary resistance to ICIs and might benefit from antiangiogenics either alone or in addition to ICIs instead. Hopefully, the ongoing clinical trials will enlighten regarding the most effective treatment pathways. The identification of predictive correlates of response to immunotherapy will help treatment allocation at each stage, thus representing an urgent matter to address in HCC research. With programmed death ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite status being inadequate biomarkers in HCC, patient characteristics, drug safety profile, and regulatory approval remain key elements to acknowledge in routine practice. Despite the tissue remaining a preferred source, biomarkers discovery could take advantage of liquid biopsy to overcome the matter of tissue availability and track tumor changes. Lastly, tumor genetic phenotypes, tumor microenvironment features, gut microbiome, and markers of immune response and systemic inflammation are all potential emergent predictors of response to ICIs, pending validation in the clinical setting.

New prognostic system based on inflammation and liver function predicts prognosis in patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab: A validation study

AIM

Recently, the neo-Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), a composite biomarker determined by the C-reactive protein level and albumin-bilirubin grade, was developed to predict outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who undergo hepatic resection. The present research investigated whether the neo-GPS could predict prognosis in HCC patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev).

METHODS

A total of 421 patients with HCC who were treated with Atez/Bev were investigated.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox hazards analysis showed that a GPS of 1 (hazard ratio (HR), 1.711; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.106-2.646) and a GPS of 2 (HR, 4.643; 95% CI, 2.778-7.762) were independently associated with overall survival. Conversely, multivariate Cox hazards analysis showed that a neo-GPS of 1 (HR, 3.038; 95% CI, 1.715-5.383) and a neo-GPS of 2 (HR, 5.312; 95% CI, 2.853-9.890) were also independently associated with overall survival in this cohort. Additionally, cumulative overall survival rates differed significantly by GPS and neo-GPS (p < 0.001). The neo-GPS, compared with the GPS, had a lower Akaike information criterion (1207 vs. 1,211, respectively) and a higher c-index (0.677 vs. 0.652, respectively) regarding to overall survival. In a subgroup analysis of patients considered to have a good prognosis as confirmed using a Child-Pugh score of 5 (p = 0.001), a neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio <3 (p = 0.001), or an α-fetoprotein level < 100 ng/mL (p < 0.001), those with a high neo-GPS (≥1) had a statistically poorer overall survival than those with a low neo-GPS.

CONCLUSIONS

The neo-GPS can predict prognosis in advanced unresectable HCC patients treated with Atez/Bev.

Similar efficacy and safety between lenvatinib versus atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as the first‐line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lenvatinib and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab(A + B) have been used for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as first-line therapy. Real-world studies comparison of efficacy and safety in these two regimens are limited, we therefore conduct this study to investigate these issues.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients received lenvatinib (n = 46) and A + B (n = 46) as first-line systemic therapy for unresectable HCC in a tertiary medical center. Objective response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was performed for baseline clinical features balance.

RESULTS

A total of 92 patients with median age of 63.8 year-old, 78.3% male, 85.9% viral hepatitis infected, 67.4% BCLC stage C were enrolled. The median treatment and follow-up duration were 4.7 months and 9.4 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in ORR (26.1% vs. 41.3%, p = 0.1226), PFS (5.9 vs. 5.3 months, p = 0.4066), and OS (not reached vs. not reached, p = 0.7128) between the lenvatinib and A + B groups. After IPW, the results of survival and response rate were also compared. Subgroup analysis suggested that using lenvatinib was not inferior to A + B in regards of PFS, including those with elder, Child-Pugh class B, beyond up-to-seven, or portal vein invasion VP4 patients. Among the lenvatinib treated patients, multivariate analysis showed patients elder than 65-year-old was an independent predictor associated with shorter PFS (adjust HR: 2.085[0.914-4.753], p = 0.0213). The incidence rates of adverse events were similar between two groups (76 vs. 63%, p = 0.1740). Both of two regimens had similarly few impact on liver function by comparison of baseline, third month, and sixth month albumin-bilirubin index and Child-Pugh score.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy and safety of lenvatinib are similar to A + B as a first-line systemic therapy for unresectable HCC.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio predicts early outcomes in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab: a multicenter analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) can predict outcomes in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev).

METHODS

A total of 249 patients with unresectable HCC treated with Atez/Bev were included. We analyzed survival and discontinuation of this therapy in this cohort.

RESULTS

Cumulative overall survival at 2, 4, 6, and 8 months was 97.6%, 94.9%, 88.9%, and 82.8%, respectively. Cumulative overall survival differed significantly between patients with low (<3.0) versus high (≥3.0) NLR (P = 0.001). Conversely, cumulative progression-free survival did not differ between patients with low versus high NLR. The distribution of response was 1.5% for complete response, 17.1% for partial response, 60.5% for stable disease, and 21.0% for progressive disease. Responses were not different between patients with low and high NLR. Regarding adverse events, immune-related liver injury of any grade and grade of at least 3, decreased appetite of any grade, grade of at least 3 proteinuria, and other adverse events of any grade differed significantly between patients with low and high NLR. There were 56, 18, and 2 patients who discontinued Atez/Bev therapy due to progression of disease, adverse event, and other reasons, respectively. The cumulative discontinuation rate for Atez/Bev therapy due to adverse events differed significantly between patients with low versus high NLR (P = 0.022). Cox proportional hazards modeling analysis with inverse probability weighting showed that NLR of at least 3.0 was significantly associated with overall survival (hazard ratio, 3.369; 95% confidence interval, 1.024-11.080).

CONCLUSIONS

NLR can predict outcomes in patients with unresectable HCC treated with Atez/Bev.

Why does survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients remain so low? Key stumbling blocks and questions in preclinical and clinical development

INTRODUCTION

: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex disease which involves diverse molecular pathways and etiologies. In recent years, several new systemic treatments have improved survival in advanced stage disease, but numerous significant challenges remain. No significant improvements have been achieved in the intermediate stage disease; this may be attributed to the difficulties in stratification of patients and the broad spectrum of clinical situations in terms of tumor burden and liver function.

AREAS COVERED

: This article considers the recent progress in first- and second-line therapy for advanced HCC. Investigational strategies conducted in intermediate stage HCC, which involve mainly combination therapy with locoregional approaches and systemic drugs, antiangiogenics, immunotherapies (or both), are then examined. Later, the paper offers insights on the questions and challenges that lie ahead for treating HCC.

EXPERT OPINION

Clinical and biomolecular markers for the stratification of patients are needed for therapeutic progress. Further molecular profiling data could enhance our knowledge of the molecular pathways underlying this tumor and facilitate the identification of targetable aberrations. This could offer opportunities for precision medicine approaches and improved survival.

Clinically approved combination immunotherapy: Current status, limitations, and future perspective

Immune-checkpoint inhibitor-based combination immunotherapy has become a first-line treatment for several major types of cancer including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), renal cell carcinoma, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and gastric cancer. Combination immunotherapy counters several immunosuppressive elements in the tumor microenvironment and activates multiple steps of the cancer-immunity cycle. The anti-PD-L1 antibody, atezolizumab, plus the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody, bevacizumab, represents a promising class of combination immunotherapy. This combination has produced unprecedented clinical efficacy in unresectable HCC and become a landmark in HCC therapy. Advanced HCC patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab demonstrated impressive improvements in multiple clinical endpoints including overall survival, progress-free survival, objective response rate, and patient-reported quality of life when compared to current first-line treatment with sorafenib. However, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab first-line therapy has limitations. First, cancer patients falling into the criteria for the combination therapy may need to be further selected to reap benefits while avoiding some potential pitfalls. Second, the treatment regimen of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab at a fixed dose may require adjustment for optimal normalization of the tumor microenvironment to obtain maximum efficacy and reduce adverse events. Third, utilization of predictive biomarkers is urgently needed to guide the entire treatment process. Here we review the current status of clinically approved combination immunotherapies and the underlying immune mechanisms. We further provide a perspective analysis of the limitations for combination immunotherapies and potential approaches to overcome the limitations.

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ICI-based combination immunotherapies become a 1st-line therapy for major cancers.

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Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab has produced unprecedented efficacy in HCC.

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Further optimization of patient selection, doses and biomarkers is needed.

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Potential approaches may overcome these limitations of combination immunotherapies.

Is There Still a Place for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma at the Time of Immunotherapies? A Focus on Lenvatinib

The systemic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is changing rapidly. Three main classes of treatment are now available. Historically, multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (sorafenib and lenvatinib as first-line; regorafenib and cabozantinib as second-line) were the first to show an improvement in overall survival (OS). Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibodies can be used in first-line (bevacizumab) or second-line (ramucirumab) combination therapy. More recently, immuno-oncology (IO) has profoundly changed therapeutic algorithms, and the combination of atezolizumab-bevacizumab is now the first-line standard of care. Therefore, the place of TKIs needs to be redefined. The objective of this review was to define the place of TKIs in the therapeutic algorithm at the time of IO treatment in first-line therapy, with a special focus on lenvatinib that exhibits one of the higher anti-tumoral activity among TKI in HCC. We will discuss the place of lenvatinib in first line (especially if there is a contra-indication to IO) but also after failure of atezolizumab and bevacizumab. New opportunities for lenvatinib will also be presented, including the use at an earlier stage of the disease and combination with IOs.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction: The treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has radically changed after the approval of the combination of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment. A strong preclinical rationale exists to support the combination of bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody (mAb), and atezolizumab, an anti-programmed death ligand 1 mAb. The efficacy of the combination was first assessed in the phase Ib GO30140 study, and the combination was then proven superior to the prior standard of care, sorafenib, in the phase III IMbrave150 trial.Areas covered: This article focuses on the mechanism of action of atezolizumab and bevacizumab, their synergistic action, and the two clinical trials leading to approval. We also collected the body of post-hoc analyses and meta-analyses to help guide the decision-making process in terms of patient selection and subsequent treatments.Expert opinion: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab are the current standard of care for first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic HCC and treatment-naïve patient should be treated with the combination, unless contraindications to the drugs. Since all the available agents for further lines of treatment have been approved for sorafenib-pretreated patients, prospective trials, post-hoc analyses, and real-world data assessing valid treatment sequencing are strongly needed.

Lenvatinib: established and promising drug for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

: The evolving therapeutic landscape of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) includes the increasing implementation of target-therapy and immunotherapy. Lenvatinib, a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is an emerging first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Its approval has changed the scenario of first-line therapies for advanced HCC, where just sorafenib proved clinical efficacy for over a decade.

AREAS COVERED

: The current evidence on the role of lenvatinib for patients with advanced HCC is reviewed in this article. Particularly, therapeutic mechanisms and clinical efficacy of lenvatinib are summarized and the management of adverse events is discussed. In addition, future perspectives on the emerging role of combine therapy for HCC are highlighted.

EXPERT OPINION

In the first line, lenvatinib was found to be non-inferior to sorafenib for overall survival, with significantly better progression-free survival and objective response rate. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are now part of HCC treatment, and recently the combination of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab has become the recommended standard of care first-line therapy for selected patients. The antitumor and immunomodulatory activities that lenvatinib shows in preclinical studies, and the positive outcomes achieved using a combination of lenvatinib plus ICIs, open new perspectives for advanced HCC treatment.