What Can Be Done to Solve the Unmet Clinical Need of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients following Lenvatinib Failure?

Abstract

<b><i>Background/Aim:</i></b> An effective postprogression treatment of lenvatinib (LEN) against unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC) has not been established. We aimed to elucidate the clinical role of continuing LEN beyond progression of disease (PD). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> From March 2018 to October 2020, 99 u-HCC patients, in whom PD was confirmed (male:female = 78:21, median age 72 years, Child-Pugh A = 99, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A:B:C = 2:43:54, LEN as first-line = 55), were enrolled (stopped LEN at PD [A group], <i>n</i> = 26; continued LEN beyond PD [B group], <i>n</i> = 73). Radiological response was evaluated with RECIST 1.1. Clinical features and prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) were retrospectively investigated using inverse probability weighting (IPW) calculated by propensity score. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Median time to progression, best response, and modified albumin-bilirubin grade (mALBI) at both baseline and PD did not show significant difference between the groups. Postprogression treatment in the A group was best supportive care in 17, sorafenib in 4, regorafenib in 3, ramucirumab in 1, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in 1. After adjusting with IPW, the B group showed better prognosis in regard to OS after PD and OS after introducing LEN than the A group (10.8/19.6 vs. 5.8/11.2 months, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, respectively). In IPW-adjusted Cox hazard multivariate analysis, significant prognostic factors for OS after PD were mALBI 2b/3 at PD (HR 1.983, <i>p</i> = 0.021), decline of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) from baseline at PD (HR 3.180, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), elevated alpha-fetoprotein (≥100 ng/mL) at introducing LEN (HR 2.511, <i>p</i> = 0.004), appearance of new extrahepatic metastasis (HR 2.396, <i>p</i> = 0.006), positive for hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) before PD (any grade) (HR 0.292, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and continuing LEN beyond PD (HR 0.297, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> When ECOG PS and hepatic reserve function permit, continuing LEN treatment beyond PD, especially in u-HCC patients showed HFSR during LEN treatment, might be a good therapeutic option, at least until a more effective drug as a postprogression treatment after LEN failure is developed.