Systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: consideration for selecting second-line treatment

Expression of Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase 2 Is Closely Associated with Recurrence in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Peptidyl arginine deiminases (PAD) enzymes have been investigated in various cancers. Recently, PAD enzyme, in particular PAD2, has been further implicated in cancers. Although the expression of PAD2 was significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue, its diagnostic or prognostic role of PAD2 in HCC patients is unknown. This study investigated whether the expression of PAD2 affects recurrence and survival in HCC patients who underwent hepatic resection. One hundred and twenty-two HCC patients after hepatic resection were enrolled. The median follow-up was 41 months (range 1-213 months) in enrolled patients. To investigate an association between PAD2 expression level and the clinical characteristics of enrolled patients, the recurrence of HCC following surgical resection and survival of the patients were examined. Ninety-eight cases (80.3%) of HCC demonstrated a higher expression of PAD2. The expression of PAD2 was correlated with age, hepatitis B virus positivity, hypertension, and higher alpha-fetoprotein level. There was no association between PAD2 expression and sex, diabetes mellitus, Child-Pugh class, major portal vein invasion, HCC size or number. The recurrence rates in patients with lower PAD2 expression were higher than those with higher PAD2 expression. The cumulative survival rates of patients with higher PAD2 expression were better than those of patients with lower PAD2 expression, but it was not statistically significant. In conclusion, PAD2 expression is closely associated with recurrence of HCC patients following surgical resection.

Expert consensus on the management of adverse events in patients receiving lenvatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma

Lenvatinib is an oral multikinase inhibitor approved for use as first-line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, like other agents in this drug class, lenvatinib is associated with clinically important adverse events (AEs) that could adversely affect patient outcomes. Hypertension, diarrhea, decreased appetite/weight, hand-foot skin reaction, and proteinuria are among the most common AEs associated with lenvatinib therapy. This article provides strategies for the effective management of lenvatinib-associated AEs based on the expert opinion of authors and currently available literature. Due to the high risk of AEs in patients receiving lenvatinib, prophylactic measures and regular monitoring for AEs are recommended. Lenvatinib dose interruption, adjustment, or discontinuation of treatment may be required for patients who develop AEs. For grade 1 or 2 AEs, dose interruption is generally not required. For persistent or intolerable grade 2 or 3 AEs, lenvatinib treatment should be interrupted until symptoms improve/resolve to grade 0-1 or baseline levels. Thereafter, treatment should be resumed at the same or a lower dose. Disease progression may occur in patients who do not initially respond to treatment or receive a suboptimal lenvatinib dose following dose reduction, resulting in lack of efficacy. Therefore, to derive maximum treatment benefit and ensure long-term disease control, lenvatinib should be maintained at the highest possible dose when managing AEs. To conclude, lenvatinib-associated AEs can be managed with prophylactic measures, regular monitoring and symptomatic management, which can ensure continued treatment and maximum survival benefit in patients with advanced HCC receiving first-line lenvatinib therapy.