Reduction in Tumor Stain at 2 Weeks after Treatment Initiation Is a Predictor of the Efficacy of Lenvatinib in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Lenvatinib and immune-checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma: mechanistic insights, clinical efficacy, and future perspectives

Lenvatinib is a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor widely used in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its primary mechanism of action involves inhibiting signal pathways such as vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR), thereby reducing tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis and affecting the tumor's immune microenvironment. In the treatment of liver cancer, although lenvatinib monotherapy has shown good clinical effect, the problem of drug resistance is becoming more and more serious. This resistance may be caused by a variety of factors, including genetic mutations, signaling pathway remodeling, and changes in the tumor microenvironment. In order to overcome drug resistance, the combination of lenvatinib and other therapeutic strategies has gradually become a research hotspot, and it is worth noting that the combination of lenvatinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has shown a good application prospect. This combination not only enhances the anti-tumor immune response but also helps improve therapeutic efficacy. However, combination therapy also faces challenges regarding safety and tolerability. Therefore, studying the mechanisms of resistance and identifying relevant biomarkers is particularly important, as it aids in early diagnosis and personalized treatment. This article reviews the mechanisms of lenvatinib in treating liver cancer, the mechanisms and efficacy of its combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, the causes of resistance, the exploration of biomarkers, and other novel combination therapy strategies for lenvatinib. We hope to provide insights into the use and research of lenvatinib in clinical and scientific settings, offering new strategies for the treatment of liver cancer.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for blood flow detection in hepatocellular carcinoma during lenvatinib therapy

PURPOSE

Blood flow reduction after initiation of lenvatinib therapy may not always indicate tumor necrosis. This study aimed to compare the blood flow detectability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during lenvatinib therapy.

METHODS

A total of 12 cases underwent CEUS and contrast-enhanced CT/MRI within 2 weeks during lenvatinib therapy. Vascularity on CEUS and CT/MRI was compared.

RESULTS

At the time of CEUS examination, the median period from the start of lenvatinib was 227 ± 210 (31-570) days. CEUS showed hyperenhancement in eight cases (66.7%), hypoenhancement in two cases (16.7%), and no enhancement in one case (8.3%), while CT/MRI showed hyperenhancement in one case (8.3%), ring enhancement in three cases (25.0%), and hypoenhancement in eight cases (66.7%) (p = 0.007). Transarterial chemoembolization (n = 3), radiofrequency ablation (n = 2), and stereotactic body radiation therapy (n = 2) were performed after blood flow detection by CEUS.

CONCLUSIONS

The viability of the HCC should be confirmed using CEUS when contrast-enhanced CT/MRI reveals lesion hypoenhancement during lenvatinib therapy.

Association between contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced CT and lenvatinib effectiveness in hepatocellular carcinoma

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the degree of contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT can predict the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with lenvatinib (LEN). A total of 67 consecutive patients with LEN-treated HCC were retrospectively analysed. In the pretreatment CE-CT, the CT values were measured using a region of interest within the main nodule and the liver parenchyma in the arterial phase, and the macroscopic degree of contrast enhancement of the tumour area was quantified by calculating the enhancement ratio (ER) of the liver parenchyma. The associations of pretreatment ER with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were then investigated. There were 20, 27 and 20 patients in the ER ≥1.5, 1.0≤ ER <1.5 and ER <1.0 groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the PFS and OS among the three ER groups (PFS, P=0.63; OS, P=0.455). The ER <1.0 group had significantly more patients with larger tumour diameters, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C with extrahepatic metastases, and higher des-γ-carboxy prothrombin values compared with the ER ≥1.0 group, suggesting that ER <1.0 reflected more aggressive types of HCC. The multivariate analysis revealed tumour size and α-fetoprotein as independent predictors of shorter PFS. Albumin-bilirubin grade 2 and BCLC stage C were significant predictors of poor OS, whereas the ER was confirmed as a non-significant predictor of both PFS and OS. Only non-alternating LEN and transarterial therapy (AT) were identified as independent predictors of unfavourable OS in patients with BCLC stage B HCC. Therefore, LEN has a strong therapeutic effect on HCC, regardless of the degree of contrast enhancement. Furthermore, AT may prolong the OS of LEN-treated patients with BCLC stage B HCC, regardless of tumour vascularity.