Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: A single center retrospective study.
Authors: Zhai Jian , Cao Kunkun , Li Xiaowei , Fu Zhigang , Zhong Jiaming , Liu Li , Chen Xiaoxia , Ding Ning , Zhang Xiaoli , Qu Zengqiang 
Published: July 2024

e16176

Background: Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs, a triplet regimen) has shown promising results in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the real world outcomes for pts with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) need further clarification. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the triplet regimen in HCC pts with PVTT. Methods: We retrospectively included pts who received HAIC plus anti-PD-1 antibodies, bevacizumab or lenvatinib as first-line therapy for HCC pts with PVTT between Apr 2021 and Dec 2022. Pts received HAIC of mFOLFOX (oxaliplatin, 85 mg/m2; leucovorin, 400 mg/m2; 5-fluorouracil bolus, 400 mg/m2 on day 1; 5-fluorouracil infusion, 2400 mg/m2 for 46 h). The combination of TKIs and ICIs included 6 patterns: tislelizumab and lenvatinib (TIS-LEN), sintilimab and lenvatinib (SIN-LEN), pembrolizumab and lenvatinib (PEM-LEM), camrelizumab and lenvatinib (CAM-LEN), sintilimab and bevacizumab (SIN-BEV), and atezolizumab and bevacizumab (ATE-BEV). Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and safety. Results: A total of 113 pts were included, with a median age of 55 years (range 48-60). Pts characteristics were as follows: male (90.3%), hepatitis B (81.4%), BCLC C stage (100%), Child-Pugh A (92.9%), tumor number [ = 1 (45.1%), = 2 (10.6%), ≥3 (44.3%)], tumor diameter>10 cm (43.4%), extrahepatic metastasis (19.5%), beyond up to steven status (88.5%). Specific treatment options are as follows: HAIC-TIS-LEN (n = 57), HAIC-SIN-LEN (n = 21), HAIC-PEM-LEM (n = 6), HAIC-CAM-LEN (n = 12), HAIC-SIN-BEV (n = 14), and HAIC-ATE-BEV (n = 3). As of Dec 31, 2023, the median follow-up duration was 18.4 mo (95% CI, 16.7-25.1), and the median number of HAIC was 2.5 (range 2-3). The median PFS was 8.1 months (95% CI, 6.8-9.8), while the median OS reached 17.7 months (95% CI:14.5-27.6). ORR was 51.3% (3 CR, 55PR), DCR was 91.2% per RECIST 1.1; ORR was 64.6% (18 CR, 55 PR), DCR was 92% per mRECIST. 15 pts (13.3%) received surgical treatment after conversion, 13 of whom remains tumor-free to date. Among those who develop disease progression, 35.3% pts (29/83) underwent a subsequent regimen that included TACE. The most common TRAEs were hypoalbuminemia (41.6%), abdominal pain (36.3%), anorexia (33.6%), hypertension (27.4%) and hypothyroidism (25.6%). The most common grade 3-4 TRAEs included hypertension (10.6%), leukocytes count decreased (9.7%), abdominal pain (8.8%), proteinuria (6.2%) and hypoalbuminemia (5.3%). Conclusions: This study further demonstrates the clinical benefit of HAIC plus ICIs and TKIs for HCC pts with PVTT. In the future, prospective studies are warranted.