Predictors of Survival in Patients With Hepatocellular Cancer Receiving Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab

Abstract

Objectives: In randomized clinical trials in patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC), combination therapy with atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atezo-Bev) prolonged survival, and these treatments have become the standard first-line therapy for advanced HCC. However, clinical trials may not reflect real-life clinical practice due to treatment selection criteria. Thus, our aim was to understand predictors of HCC outcomes with these treatments in a real-world, multicenter setting. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients 18 years of age or older treated for advanced primary liver cancer between February 2020 and August 2022 was conducted to assess the relationship between overall survival and clinical and biochemical variables before or during treatment. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression survival analyses were performed to identify predictors of survival following treatment. Results: One hundred and eleven eligible patients with unresectable HCC received Atezo-Bev over a consecutive 30-month period. Cox regression identified several significant (P<0.05) predictors of survival, including pretreatment albumin (hazard ratios [HR]: 0.2; CI: 0.1-0.4), total bilirubin (HR: 1.3; CI: 1.2-1.5), and international normalized ratio (HR: 5.6; CI: 2.5-12.5). In multivariate analyses, these were significantly associated as predictors of mortality, and patients with pretreatment albumin <3.5 mg/dL had significantly lower survival than those ≥3.5 (153 vs. 522 d, P<0.0001). Conclusions: Pretreatment hypoalbuminemia, high bilirubin, and biochemical tests indicative of hepatic or renal dysfunction can independently predict short-term mortality in advanced HCC patients receiving Atezo-Bev.