Microwave ablation combined with lipiodol-microsphere mixed or conventional transarterial chemoembolization for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases: A retrospective study

Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Radiological Progression: Lenvatinib Plus PD-1 Inhibitor Combined with Microwave Ablation and Synchronous Transarterial Chemoembolization

Purpose

To determine the clinical outcomes of lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitor combined with microwave ablation (MWA) and synchronous transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with progressive hepatocellular carcinoma (pHCC).

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study enrolled pHCC patients who underwent lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitor combined with MWA and TACE (LP-MT) or lenvatinib combined with MWA and TACE (L-MT) from January 2019 to December 2022. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded during the follow-up. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the primary outcomes. The prognostic analyses for survival were performed using Cox proportional hazard regression model.

Results

In total, 90 eligible patients with pHCC who received combination therapy were included in the study. Among them, 42 patients received LP-MT and 48 patients received L-MT. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the two groups. Patients who underwent lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitor combined with MWA and TACE had better PFS (median, 10.0 vs 7.4 months, P = 0.03) than those who underwent combination therapy without PD-1 inhibitor, although no significant difference was found in OS (median, 22.5 vs 20.0 months, P = 0.19) between the two groups. The disease control rate of LP-MT group was higher than that of L-MT group (88.1% vs 64.6%, P = 0.01), especially in patients with BCLC stage C (89.3% vs 70.0%, P = 0.03). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that treatment method and Child-Pugh class were independent prognostic factors for PFS. The AEs of LP-MT group were comparable and tolerable to those of L-MT group (Any grade, 78.6% vs 62.5%, P = 0.10; Grade 3, 23.8% vs 12.5%, P = 0.16).

Conclusion

Lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitor may be slightly superior to lenvatinib alone when combined with local interventional therapy for progressive HCC, especially in patients with BCLC stage C.

Microwave ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization containing doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome for treating primary and metastatic liver cancers

Aims

To determine the safety and efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome (DHL) in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) and metastatic liver cancer (MLC).

Materials and methods

The medical records of patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer who underwent MWA combined with TACE containing DHL from March 2019 to March 2022 were collected and analyzed. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Local tumor response was evaluated according to the modified RECIST criteria. Local tumor progression-free survival (LTPFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

Altogether, 96 patients with liver cancer were included (PLC, n ​= ​45; MLC, n ​= ​51). Forty (41.7%) patients experienced AEs during treatment, and eight (8.3%) patients developed grade 3 AEs. Compared to before treatment, the serum total bilirubin level and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio significantly increased after treatment. The median LTPFS was 14.5 months in patients with PLC and 10.7 months in patients with MLC. The median OS was not reached in patients with PLC or MLC. The 1-month and 3-month disease control rates reached more than 80% in both groups.

Conclusion

MWA combined with TACE with DHL may be a safe and effective method for the treatment of liver cancer.

Efficacy and Safety of TACE Combined with Regorafenib versus TACE in the Third-Line Treatment of Colorectal Liver Metastases

BACKGROUND

The liver is the most common site of metastasis in colorectal cancer. In patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases, the 5-year survival rate is less than 5%. Many patients with colorectal liver metastases require effective subsequent therapy after the failure of standard first-line/second-line therapy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of TACE combined with Regorafenib versus TACE in the third-line treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases.

METHOD

The clinical data of 132 patients with colorectal liver metastases were collected. There were two groups: TACE + Regorafenib group (N = 63); TACE group (N = 69). TACE uses CalliSpheres® drug-loaded microspheres (loaded with irinotecan). Regorafenib is administered at a dose of 120 mg once daily. If the patient is severely intolerable, the regorafenib dose is adjusted to 80 mg once daily. Primary study endpoints were (1) to evaluate the tumor response, ORR, and DCR and (2) to evaluate OS and PFS in the two groups. Secondary study endpoints were (1) to compare the performance status, CEA, CA19-9 after treatment between the two groups and (2) to compare the incidence of adverse events between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in tumor response, ORR, DCR, OS, and PFS after treatment between the two groups. TACE combined with the Regorafenib group versus the TACE group: ORR (57.1% vs 33.3%), DCR (82.5% vs 68.1%), mOS (18.2 months vs 11.3 months), and mPFS (8.9 months vs 5.3 months). The performance status after treatment was better in the TACE + Regorafenib group than in the TACE group (P < 0.05). The CEA and CA19-9 negative rates after treatment were higher in the TACE + Regorafenib group than in the TACE group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

For the third-line treatment of colorectal liver metastases, the combination of TACE + Regorafenib had better tumor response, OS, and PFS than TACE TACE + Regorafenib combination could be considered as salvage therapy for colorectal liver metastases who failed the first- and second-line standard therapy.