Abstract 719P
Background
Data on elucidating the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) based systemic therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking.
Methods
In this multicenter retrospective study, 582 HCC patients receiving TACE based therapy were enrolled between Apr 2015 and Dec 2021. Patients were assigned either with TACE monotherapy (n=317), TACE plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (n=66), TACE plus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) (n=33), or TACE plus TKIs and ICIs (n=139). The efficacy and safety of four treatment regimens were compared.
Results
There were no significant differences among the four study groups in baseline characteristics, including BCLC stage, tumor number, tumor size and embolus (all P>0.05). The mean follow-up period was 17.6 (95% CI: 15.7-19.5) months and the mean number of TACE sessions were 3 (range 1-13) for all patients. The objective response rate (ORR) was 28.7%, 39.4%, 42.4%, and 57.6%, respectively (P=0.024), while the disease control rate (DCR) was 54.6%, 72.7%, 69.7%, and 87.1%, respectively (P=0.037) (mRECIST). The TACE plus TKIs and ICIs group achieved the longest median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to the other 3 groups, especially to the TACE alone group (PFS: 6.4 vs. 7.1 vs. 7.3 vs. 8.7 months, P=0.046; and OS: 15.1 vs. 17.6 vs. 18.5 vs. 21.9 months, P=0.030). There were no unexpected toxicities.
Conclusions
TACE plus TKIs and ICIs appeared to deliver the longest PFS and OS in HCC patients receiving TACE based regimens. Adverse events were consistent with those of previous TACE combination trials.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Jinzhang Chen.
Funding
This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82102879), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2021A1515012518, and 2022A1515010526). The funding agencies had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.