Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy: Does It Have a Role in Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

Chalcomoracin promotes apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Chalcomoracin (CMR), a Diels-Alder adduct obtained from mulberry leaves, demonstrated wide-spectrum anti-cancer activity. Herein, we aimed to explore the function of CMR and how it works in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Human HCC cell lines Hep3B and SNU-387 were cultured and treated with various concentrations of CMR (1.5, 3, and 6 µM). Subsequently, the effects of CMR on cell viability, colony formation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion abilities were studied in vitro. Furthermore, the levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway-related proteins in cells under CMR exposure were detected using western blot. Experiments in vivo were conducted to examine the effects of CMR on tumor growth in HCC. CMR administration inhibited the viability and clonogenic, migration, and invasion abilities, as well as promoted cell apoptosis and ER stress in Hep3B and SNU-387 cells. In addition, CMR treatment reduced the phosphorylation levels of ERK, P38, and JNK in the MAPK pathway. Moreover, an in vivo study showed that CMR administration could inhibit tumorigenesis and MAPK pathway activity in HCC. Our data indicate that CMR has the potential to inhibit the development of HCC, potentially through the inhibition of the MAPK pathway. These findings suggest that CMR may have promising applications as an anticancer agent in future therapeutics for HCC.

Association of Multi-Phasic MR-Based Radiomic and Dosimetric Features with Treatment Response in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients following Novel Sequential TACE-SBRT-Immunotherapy

This study aims to investigate the association of pre-treatment multi-phasic MR-based radiomics and dosimetric features with treatment response to a novel sequential trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) plus immunotherapy regimen in unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) sub-population. Twenty-six patients with unresectable HCC were retrospectively analyzed. Radiomic features were extracted from 42 lesions on arterial phase (AP) and portal-venous phase (PVP) MR images. Delta-phase (DeltaP) radiomic features were calculated as AP-to-PVP ratio. Dosimetric data of the tumor was extracted from dose-volume-histograms. A two-sided independent Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess the clinical association of each feature, and the classification performance of each significant independent feature was assessed using logistic regression. For the 3-month timepoint, four DeltaP-derived radiomics that characterize the temporal change in intratumoral randomness and uniformity were the only contributors to the treatment response association (p-value = 0.038-0.063, AUC = 0.690-0.766). For the 6-month timepoint, DeltaP-derived radiomic features (n = 4) maintained strong clinical associations with the treatment response (p-value = 0.047-0.070, AUC = 0.699-0.788), additional AP-derived radiomic features (n = 4) that reflect baseline tumoral arterial-enhanced signal pattern and tumor morphology (n = 1) that denotes initial tumor burden were shown to have strong associations with treatment response (p-value = 0.028-0.074, AUC = 0.719-0.773). This pilot study successfully demonstrated associations of pre-treatment multi-phasic MR-based radiomics with tumor response to the novel treatment regimen.

Does HCC Etiology Impact the Efficacy of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma? An Asian Liver Radiation Therapy Group Study

Background/Purpose

The Asian Liver Radiation Therapy Study Group has formed a large and detailed multinational database of outcomes following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we explored the potential impact of HCC etiology on SBRT efficacy. Tumor control probability (TCP) models were established to estimate the likelihood of local control (LC).

Methods

Data from 415 patients who were treated with SBRT for HCC were reviewed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify key predictors of LC. TCP models accounting for biologic effective dose (BED) and tumor diameter were generated to quantify associations between etiology and LC.

Results

Cox models demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was associated with favorable LC following SBRT (HR=0.52, 95% CI 0.04–0.96, p=0.036). The 2-year LC rate for patients with HCV etiology was 88%, compared to 78% for other patients. Small tumor and high BED were also associated with favorable LC. TCP models demonstrated a 10–20% absolute increase in predicted LC across the range of SBRT doses and tumor sizes.

Conclusion

We found a novel association between HCV status and LC after SBRT for HCC that warrants further exploration. If validated in other datasets, our findings could help clinicians tailor SBRT schedules.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of local control, survival and toxicity outcomes

There is a growing body of literature supporting the use of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) in the management of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This systematic review and meta-analysis of the current published evidence for SABR for HCC assessed the impact of treatment dose, fractionation and tumour size on the outcomes of local control (LC), overall survival (OS) and toxicity. A systematic search was independently performed by two authors for articles published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2005 and December 2019. A DerSimonian and Laird random effects model was used to assess pooled results. A multivariate meta-regression analysis incorporated the effect of explanatory variables (radiation dose in EQD2_[10], fractionation and tumour size) on outcomes of OS, LC and toxicity. Forty-nine cohorts involving 2846 HCC patients with 3088 lesions treated with SABR were included. Pooled 1-, 2- and 3-year LC rates were 91.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 88.3-93.2), 86.7% (95% CI 82.7-89.8) and 84.2% (95% CI 77.9-88.9) respectively. Pooled 1-, 2- and 3-year OS rates were 78.4% (95% CI 73.4-82.6), 61.3% (55.2-66.9) and 48.3% (95% CI 39.0-57). Population-weighted median grade 3 toxicity rates were 6.5% (IQR 3.2-16) and mean grade 4/5 rates were 1.4% (IQR 0-2.1). Within EQD2_[10] ranges of 40 to 83.33 Gy corresponding to common dose-fractionation regimens of 30-50 Gy in 5 fractions, there was a multivariate association between superior LC and OS with increasing EQD2_[10] , with a proportionately smaller increase in grade 3 toxicity and no association with grade 4/5 toxicity. Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy is a viable treatment option for HCC with high LC rates and low rates of reported grade 3/4 toxicity. Increasing EQD2_[10] was associated with improvements in LC and OS with a comparatively smaller increase in toxicity. Prospective randomised trials are warranted to define optimal patient selection and dose-fractionation regimens.

Role of modern radiotherapy in managing patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer. Several treatment options are available for managing HCC patients, classified roughly as local, local-regional, and systemic therapies. The high post-monotherapy recurrence rate of HCC urges the need for the use of combined modalities to increase tumor control and patient survival. Different international guidelines offer treatment recommendations based on different points of view and classification systems. Radiotherapy (RT) is a well-known local-regional treatment modality for managing many types of cancers, including HCC. However, only some of these treatment guidelines include RT, and the role of combined modalities is rarely mentioned. Hence, the present study reviewed clinical evidence for the use of different combined modalities in managing HCC, focusing on modern RT's role. Modern RT has an increased utility in managing HCC patients, mainly due to two driving forces. First, technological advancement (e.g., stereotactic body radiotherapy and advanced proton-beam therapy) enables precise delivery of radiation to increase tumor control and reduce side effects in the surrounding normal tissue. Second, the boom in developing target therapies and checkpoint-blockade immunotherapy prolongs overall survival in HCC patients, re-emphasizing the importance of local tumor control. Remarkably, RT combines with systemic therapies to generate the systemic therapy augmented by radiotherapy effect, a benefit now being actively investigated.

Optimal Timing of Radiotherapy after Incomplete Transarterial Chemoembolization for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage B Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PURPOSE

The optimal timing for radiotherapy (RT) after incomplete transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains unclear. This study investigated the optimal timing to initiate RT after incomplete TACE in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B hepatocellular carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 116 lesions in 104 patients who were treated with RT after TACE between 2001 and 2016. The time interval between the last TACE session and RT initiation was retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off time interval that maximized the difference in local failure-free rates (LFFRs) was determined using maximally selected rank statistics.

RESULTS

The median time interval was 26 days (range: 2-165 days). At a median follow-up of 18 months (range: 3-160 months), the median overall survival was 18 months. The optimal cut-off time interval appeared to be 5 weeks; using this cut-off, 65 and 39 patients were classified into early and late RT groups, respectively. Early RT group had a significantly poorer Child-Pugh class and higher alpha-fetoprotein levels compared to late RT group. Other characteristics, including tumor size (7 cm vs. 6 cm; p=0.144), were not significantly different between the groups. The 1-year LFFR was significantly higher in the early RT group than in the late RT group (94.6% vs. 70.8%; p=0.005). On multivariate analysis, early RT was identified as an independent predictor of favorable local failure-free survival (hazard ratio: 3.30, 95% confidence interval: 1.50-7.29; p=0.003).

CONCLUSION

The optimal timing for administering RT after incomplete TACE is within 5 weeks. Early administration of RT is associated with better local control.

Stereotactic radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: Expanding the multidisciplinary armamentarium

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Long-term prognosis remains poor with treatment options frequently limited by advanced tumor stage, tumor location, or underlying liver dysfunction. Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) utilizes technological advances to deliver highly precise, tumoricidal doses of radiation. There is an emerging body of literature on SABR in HCC demonstrating high rates of local control in the order of 80-90% at 3 years. SABR is associated with a low risk of radiation-induced liver disease or decompensation in appropriately selected HCC patients with compensated liver function and is now being incorporated into guidelines as an additional treatment option. This review outlines the emerging role of SABR in the multidisciplinary management of HCC and summarizes the current evidence for its use as an alternative ablative option for early-stage disease, as a bridge to transplant, and as palliation for advanced-stage disease. We outline specific considerations regarding patient selection, toxicities, and response assessment. Finally, we compare current international guidelines and recommendations for the use of SABR and summarize ongoing studies.

Downstaging treatment for patients with hepatocelluar carcinoma before transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT), one of the radical methods of treating liver cancer, has brought new hope for the treatment of unresectable liver cancer. Currently, patients who meet transplant criteria can achieve a favorable prognosis, but those who exceed transplant criteria tend not to have very satisfactory outcomes. For patients whose tumor burden exceeds the transplant criteria, downstaging treatment is a promising method to reduce tumor burden to within the transplant criteria that may lead to good posttransplant survival. Multiple treatments, such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), have been used as downstaging treatments. However, there are still some issues that limit the effectiveness of downstaging treatments, such as the inclusion criteria for downstaging, which the choice of downstaging treatment method, and the endpoint of downstaging, all of which are worthy of further discussion. Based on the published literature, this review discusses these issues.

Factors affecting target motion in stereotactic body radiotherapy of liver cancer using CyberKnife

INTRODUCTION

In stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of solitary liver cancer, organ motion due to respiration is an important factor in the definition of planning target volume (PTV). This study evaluated the potential associations of target motion with gross tumour volume (GTV) size, tumour location, Child-Pugh score and intra-fraction treatment time in SBRT of liver cancer treated by CyberKnife.

METHODS

Translational motion data of 145 liver cancer patients, who were previously treated by CyberKnife with free breathing under tumour tracking, were recorded in the log files of the motion tracking system and analysed. The factors including target location based on liver segments, Child-Pugh score which was an indication of liver cirrhosis, GTV size and intra-fraction treatment time were recorded and their associations with the magnitude of target movement were evaluated.

RESULTS

Target location demonstrated significant association with the translational target motion in the supero-inferior (SI) and left-right (LR) directions but less in antero-posterior (AP) direction. Tumours located at the peripheral segments were more affected than the central segments. Child-Pugh score and GTV size were not significantly associated with target motion in any direction. Longer intra-fraction treatment time generally increased target motion in the SI and LR directions.

CONCLUSION

In SBRT of liver cancer, the target motions in SI and LR directions were correlated with the location of target and treatment time, but not with Child-Pugh score and GTV size. These results should assist in deciding the GTV-PTV margin in SBRT treatment planning for solitary liver cancer.

Validation of the CAMD Score in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Receiving Antiviral Therapy

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Researchers previously developed a scoring system to determine the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, based on the presence of cirrhosis, patient age, male sex, and diabetes (called the CAMD scoring system). We validated the CAMD scoring system and compared its performance with that of other risk assessment models in an independent cohort.

METHODS

We followed up 3277 patients with chronic HBV infection (mean age, 48.7 y; 62.6% male; 32.4% with cirrhosis) who were treated with entecavir (n = 1725) or tenofovir (n = 1552) as the first-line antiviral agent in 4 academic teaching hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The primary outcome was development of HCC. We evaluated the ability of the CAMD, PAGE-B, and mPAGE-B scoring systems to identify patients who would develop HCC using integrated area under the curve (iAUC) analysis.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up period of 58.2 months, 8.9% of the patients developed HCC. Patients who developed HCC were older, more likely to be male, and had higher proportions of cirrhosis and diabetes than patients who did not develop HCC (all P < .05). CAMD scores identified patients who developed HCC with an iAUC of 0.790, mPAGE-B scores with an iAUC of 0.769, and PAGE-B scores with an iAUC of 0.760. The 5-year cumulative risks of HCC were 1.3% in patients with low CAMD scores (<8), 8.0% in patients with intermediate CAMD scores (8-13), and 24.3% in patients with high CAMD scores (>13) (P < .001 for comparison of low- vs intermediate-score groups and between intermediate- vs high-score groups). The predicted and observed probabilities of HCC had excellent agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

We validated the CAMD scoring system in determining the risk of HCC in patients with chronic HBV treatment receiving entecavir or tenofovir treatment. Validation was performed in a cohort of patients in the Republic of Korea, where most patients have genotype C2 HBV infection.

MRI Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Local-Regional Therapy: A Comprehensive Review

Nearly 80% of cirrhotic patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not eligible for surgical resection and instead undergo local-regional treatment. After therapy for HCC, patients undergo imaging surveillance to assess treatment efficacy and identify potential sites of progressive tumor elsewhere within the liver. Accurate interpretation of posttreatment imaging is essential for guiding further management decisions, and radiologists must understand expected treatment-specific imaging findings for each of the local-regional therapies. Of interest, expected imaging findings seen after radiation-based therapies (transarterial radioembolization and stereotactic body radiation therapy) are different than those seen after thermal ablation and transarterial chemoembolization. Given differences in expected posttreatment imaging findings, the current radiologic treatment response assessment algorithms used for HCC (modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors classification, European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases criteria, and Liver Imaging and Reporting Data System Treatment Response Algorithm) must be applied cautiously for radiation-based therapies in which persistent arterial phase hyperenhancement in the early posttreatment period is common and expected. This article will review the concept of tumor response assessment for HCC, the forms of local-regional therapy for HCC, and the expected posttreatment findings for each form of therapy. Keywords: Abdomen/GI, Liver, MR-Imaging, Treatment Effects, Tumor Response © RSNA, 2020.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Steadily Persists over Time Despite Long-Term Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis B: A Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Long-term antiviral therapy (AVT) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We assessed the temporal trends in the incidence of HCC over time during long-term AVT among Asian patients with CHB.

METHODS

Patients with CHB receiving entecavir/tenofovir (ETV/TDF) as a first-line antiviral were recruited from four academic hospitals in the Republic of Korea. We compared the incidence of HCC during and after the first 5 years of ETV/TDF treatment.

RESULTS

Among 3,156 patients, the median age was 49.6 years and males predominated (62.4%). During the follow-up, 9.0% developed HCC. The annual incidence of HCC per 100 person-years during the first 5 years (n = 1,671) and after the first 5 years (n = 1,485) was statistically similar (1.93% vs. 2.27%, P = 0.347). When the study population was stratified according to HCC prediction model, that is, modified PAGE-B score, the annual incidence of HCC was 0.11% versus 0.39% in the low-risk group (<8 points), 1.26% versus 1.82% in the intermediate-risk group (9-12 points), and 4.63% versus 5.24% in the high-risk group (≥13 points; all P > 0.05). A Poisson regression analysis indicated that the duration of AVT did not significantly affect the overall trend of the incidence of HCC (adjusted annual incidence rate ratio = 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.11; P = 0.232).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite long-term AVT, the risk of HCC steadily persists over time among patients with CHB in the Republic of Korea, in whom HBV genotype C2 predominates.

IMPACT

Careful HCC surveillance is still essential.

Changes in real-life practice for hepatocellular carcinoma patients in the Republic of Korea over a 12-year period: A nationwide random sample study

Backgrounds & aims

Comprehensive analyses through nationwide hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) registries are important to understand health care issues. We assessed changes in real-life practice for HCC over a long time period.

Methods

The Korean Liver Cancer Association and the Korean Central Cancer Registry jointly established the nationwide cohorts of newly diagnosed HCC patients between 2003 and 2005 and between 2008 and 2014. According to sorafenib reimbursement in the Republic of Korea (January 2011), patients were divided into early (E-Cohort: 2003~2010) and late (L-Cohort: 2011~2014) cohorts.

Results

L-Cohort (n = 4776) comprised patients with older age (60.8 vs. 58.3 years), higher proportions of patients with well-preserved liver function (75.6% vs. 68.2%) and non-viral etiologies (28.6% vs. 19.4%), and lower proportion of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer [BCLC] 0~A stage (46.2% vs. 53.9%) than E-Cohort (n = 8203) (all p<0.05). Proportions of patients undergoing curative treatments were higher in L-Cohort than in E-Cohort (55.0% vs. 35.1%, 23.2 vs. 11.3%, and 17.3% vs. 9.6% in BCLC 0A, B, and C stages, respectively; all p<0.05). Accordingly, compared with that in E-Cohort, overall survival in L-Cohort significantly improved in patients with BCLC 0~A, B, and C stages (all p<0.05). As first-line treatment, 62.4% underwent locoregional treatments (LRTs), whereas only 9.7% received sorafenib, among BCLC stage C patients in L-Cohort.

Conclusions

For the past 12 years, curative treatments became more widely available to BCLC 0~A, B, and C stage patients, generally improving prognosis. Despite sorafenib reimbursement, LRTs remain the mainstay of first-line treatment for BCLC C stage patients.