A case of advanced HCC treated with lenvatinib after hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy treatment for portal vein tumor thrombosis in the main trunk. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2020;13:839-843. [PMID: 31974811 DOI: 10.1007/s12328-020-01093-9]

Conversion hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein tumour thrombus after lenvatinib treatment: A case report

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accompanied by portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) presents an aggressive disease course, worsening liver function reserve, and a high recurrence rate. Clinical practice guidelines recommend systemic therapy as the first-line option for HCC with portal invasion. However, to achieve longer survival in these patients, the treatment strategy should be concluded with removal of the tumour by locoregional therapy. We experienced a case of initially unresectable HCC with main PVTT converted to radical hepatectomy after lenvatinib treatment.

CASE SUMMARY

A 59-year-old male with chronic hepatitis C infection visited our clinic as a regular post-surgery follow-up. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed a liver mass diffusely located at the lateral segment with a massive PVTT extending from the umbilical portion to the main and contralateral third-order portal branches. With the diagnosis of unresectable HCC with Vp4 (main trunk/contralateral branch) PVTT, lenvatinib was started at 12 mg/d. The computed tomography taken 3 mo after starting lenvatinib showed regression of the PVTT, which had retreated to the contralateral first-order portal branch. He tolerated the full dose without major adverse effects. With cessation of lenvatinib for 7 d, radical left lobectomy and PVTT thrombectomy were conducted. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful. Microscopically, the primary lesion showed fibrotic changes, with moderately to poorly differentiated tumour cells surrounded by granulation tissues in some areas. The majority of the PVTT showed necrosis. He was alive without recurrence for 8 mo.

CONCLUSION

This is the first case of HCC with Vp4 PVTT in which radical conversion hepatectomy was succeeded after lenvatinib treatment.

Early radiological response evaluation with response evaluation criteria in solid tumors 1.1 stratifies survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with lenvatinib

Background and Aim

Lenvatinib (LEN) has an antitumor effect with an early reduction in contrast enhancement for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to reveal the most useful radiological response evaluation for overall survival (OS) in patients treated with LEN.

Methods

Patients receiving LEN therapy (n = 80) were retrospectively recruited from April 2018 to January 2020. Enhanced computed tomography scans were performed at baseline and every 4-8 weeks. OS and radiological response were evaluated using response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST 1.1), modified RECIST (mRECIST), and Choi criteria. To be eligible for study, a minimal cumulative duration of LEN was 4 weeks. A total of 62 patients were included in the analysis.

Results

The median OS was 469 days. The RECIST 1.1, mRECIST, and Choi criteria identified 14 (22.5%), 30 (48.3%), and 33 (53.2%) patients with an objective response, respectively. In the univariate analysis, Child-Pugh class B, major vascular invasion, and high alpha-fetoprotein (>200) were statistically significant poor prognostic factors. Radiological response was a significantly better prognostic factor in each criterion (RECIST, mRECIST, and Choi). In the multivariate analysis, radiological response evaluated by RECIST (hazard ratio, 0.259; 95% confidence interval, 0.0723-0.928; P = 0.038) was an independent factor. Furthermore, only RECIST significantly stratified prognosis (P = 0.041) when limited to the first evaluation.

Conclusion

RECIST 1.1 was useful even as early therapeutic evaluation for HCC patients treated with LEN. Understanding the characteristics of radiological response over time may contribute to improving the prognosis of patients with HCC.