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Zhu M, Liu Z, Chen S, Luo Z, Tu J, Qiao L, Wu J, Fan W, Peng Z. Sintilimab plus bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy as first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: A multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 study. Hepatology 2024; 80:807-815. [PMID: 38358542 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Systemic treatments are listed as first-line therapies for HCC with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), resulting in modest efficacy. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sintilimab plus bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy in HCC with PVTT and to identify prognostic biomarkers. APPROACH AND RESULTS This open-label, multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial was conducted at 3 tertiary hospitals in China. A total of 46 patients with HCC with PVTT were enrolled. All the patients received the first cycle of i.v. sintilimab (200 mg, day 1) plus bevacizumab (15 mg/kg, day 1) within 3 days after enrollment. Radiotherapy (30-50 Gy/10 fractions) was administered after 2 cycles of Sin-Bev. Sin-Bev was disrupted during radiotherapy and resumed 2 weeks after radiotherapy and continued every 3 weeks thereafter until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary end point was objective response rate. Patients obtained an objective response rate of 58.7% and a disease control rate of 100%. After a median follow-up time of 26.0 months (95% CI: 24.0-26.0), the median OS was 24.0 months (95% CI: 19.0 to not applicable) and the median progression-free survival was 13.8 months (95% CI: 12.0-21.0), respectively. No unexpected adverse events or treatment-related deaths occurred. Mutations of PCTMD1 were predictive of shorter OS and progression-free survival. CONCLUSIONS Sintilimab plus bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy provides favorable treatment response and survival outcomes along with an acceptable safety profile in the first-line setting for patients with HCC with PVTT (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05010434).
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiyan Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zelong Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuling Chen
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenhua Luo
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianfei Tu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Lishui Hospital of Zhejiang University, Lishui, China
| | - Liangliang Qiao
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Wu
- Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenzhe Fan
- Department of Interventional Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenwei Peng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Ma Y, Shao G, Xie Y, Yang D, Li K, Tan B, Wang C, Sun P, Cao J. Multiomics Analysis of Interleukin-21 as a Potential Immunologic and Biomarker in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Immunother 2024; 47:266-274. [PMID: 38832536 DOI: 10.1097/cji.0000000000000526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is an important antitumor cytokine that contributes to the proliferation and differentiation of CD8 + T cells. It has been proven to enhance the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in various solid tumors. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been clarified. In this research, we aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of IL-21 in HCC and its effect on ICI treatment. Through transcriptome sequencing analysis and immunohistochemistry validation, we found that patients with high IL-21 expression had a better prognosis. HCCs with high expression of IL-21 had higher infiltration of CD8 + T cells, increased expression of immune checkpoints, and an improved response to ICI treatment. In conclusion, IL-21 can enhance the efficacy of ICI treatment and improve the prognosis of patients by promoting the infiltration of CD8 + T cells and the expression of immune checkpoint-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghui Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
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Lu F, Zhao K, Ye M, Xing G, Liu B, Li X, Ran Y, Wu F, Chen W, Hu S. Efficacy and safety of second-line therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:1023. [PMID: 39160484 PMCID: PMC11331808 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12780-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The selection of appropriate second-line therapy for liver cancer after first-line treatment failure poses a significant clinical challenge due to the lack of direct comparative studies and standard treatment protocols. A network meta-analysis (NMA) provides a robust method to systematically evaluate the clinical outcomes and adverse effects of various second-line treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library to identify phase III/IV randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to March 11, 2024. The outcomes extracted were median overall survival (OS), median progression-free survival (PFS), time to disease progression (TTP), disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse reactions. This study was registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023427843) to ensure transparency, novelty, and reliability. RESULTS We included 16 RCTs involving 7,005 patients and 10 second-line treatments. For advanced HCC patients, regorafenib (HR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.53-0.73) and cabozantinib (HR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.63-0.85) provided the best OS benefits compared to placebo. Cabozantinib (HR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.32-0.55) and regorafenib (HR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.31-0.68) also offered the most significant PFS benefits. For TTP, apatinib (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33-0.57), ramucirumab (HR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.34-0.57), and regorafenib (HR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.38-0.51) showed significant benefits over placebo. Regarding ORR, ramucirumab (OR = 9.90, 95% CI: 3.40-42.98) and S-1 (OR = 8.68, 95% CI: 1.4-154.68) showed the most significant increases over placebo. Apatinib (OR = 3.88, 95% CI: 2.48-6.10) and cabozantinib (OR = 3.53, 95% CI: 2.54-4.90) provided the best DCR benefits compared to placebo. Tivantinib showed the most significant advantages in terms of three different safety outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that, in terms of overall efficacy and safety, regorafenib and cabozantinib are the optimal second-line treatment options for patients with advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenping Lu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Shaanxi Shuangbo Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Liver and Kidney Diseases, Xi'an, China
| | - Miaoqing Ye
- Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Guangyan Xing
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bowen Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaobin Li
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yun Ran
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fenfang Wu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Emergency General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shiping Hu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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Xiao T, Hu S, Dong S, Cai Q, Gong W, Zhang Y, Long C, Li X. A study on combination of non-ablative local RFA with PD-1 and angiogenesis blocking to prolong survival through improvement of immune microenvironment in advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 134:112144. [PMID: 38733820 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), an effective local treatment method for early-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), combined with PD-1 blocking and anti-angiogenic therapy is being extensively explored in advanced HCC, however, the definite results and underlying mechanisms still remain to be elucidated. Therefore, whether non-ablative RFA-based combined therapy can play a synergistic anti-tumor effect through improving tumor immune microenvironment was investigated by us in HCC mouse models. Our results showed that non-ablative RFA could regulate multilayered immunity, such as inducing immunogenic death of tumor cells, upregulating the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, mainly IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10, and subsequently promoting the infiltration of CD8 + T cells. As a result, a significant synergistic anti-tumor effect was demonstrated in the combination therapy group. Similarly, in the real-world setting, non-curative RFA combined with PD-1 blocking and Lenvatinib for 12 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C achieve promising results, with 6.9 months (95 % CI: 3.23-15.73) median progression-free survival (mPFS) and 12.7 months (95 % CI: 7.40-19.73) median overall survival (mOS). The common treatment-related adverse reactions were pneumonia and thyroiditis with low prevalence, both less than grade 3 and manageable by symptomatic treatment. Summarily, local non-ablative RFA should be a clinically preferred strategy in combination with PD-1 blocking and anti-angiogenic therapy, because this more flexible scheme abandons its historical concept of tumor eradication, but fully utilizes the immune regulatory function by inducing immunogenic tumor death and has higher-level of safety. Therefore, this is a two-pronged and highly balanced approach to achieved favorable treatment outcomes, while conclusive evidence is still pending, it can be attempted in the real world anyway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlin Xiao
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Sheng Hu
- Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuang Dong
- Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Cai
- Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Gong
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Cheng Long
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Chen Z, Hu T, Zhou J, Gu X, Chen S, Qi Q, Wang L. Overview of tumor immunotherapy based on approved drugs. Life Sci 2024; 340:122419. [PMID: 38242494 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Tumor immunotherapy has become a new hotspot for cancer treatment. Various immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viruses (OVs), cytokines, and cancer vaccines, have been used to treat tumors. They operate through different mechanisms, along with certain toxicities and side effects. Understanding the mechanisms by which immunotherapy modulates the immune system is essential for improving the efficacy and managing these adverse effects. This article discusses various currently approved cancer immunotherapy mechanisms and related agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, and the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency. We also review the latest progress in immune drugs approved by the National Medical Products Administration, including monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, OVs, and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy, to help understand the clinical application of tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqin Chen
- College of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China
| | - Tiantian Hu
- Clinical Base of Qingpu Traditional Medicine Hospital, the Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai 201700, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Xiaolei Gu
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China
| | - Song Chen
- College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei 430061, China
| | - Qing Qi
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai 200011, China.
| | - Ling Wang
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; The Academy of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-related Diseases, Shanghai 200011, China.
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