Cancer Research and Treatment

Original Articles

Prognostic Evaluation and Survival Prediction for Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma Following Hepatectomy: Seok-Joo Chun, Yu Jung Jung, YoungRok Choi, Nam-Joon Yi, Kwang-Woong Lee, Kyung-Suk Suh, Kyoung Bun Lee, Hyun-Cheol Kang, Eui Kyu Chie, Kyung Su Kim; Received February 19, 2024 Accepted June 26, 2024 Published online July 3, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.176 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Purpose
This study aimed to assess prognostic factors associated with combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) and to predict 5-year survival based on these factors.
Materials and Methods
Patients who underwent definitive hepatectomy from 2006 to 2022 at a single institution was retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria involved a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of cHCC-CCA.
Results
A total of 80 patients with diagnosed cHCC-CCA were included in the analysis. The median progression-free survival was 15.6 months, while distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), hepatic progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS) were 50.8, 21.5, and 85.1 months, respectively. In 52 cases of recurrence, intrahepatic recurrence was the most common initial recurrence (34/52), with distant metastasis in 17 cases. Factors associated with poor DMFS included tumor necrosis, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion, and histologic compact type. Postoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9, tumor necrosis, LVI, and close/positive margin were associated with poor OS. LVI emerged as a key factor affecting both DMFS and OS, with a 5-year OS of 93.3% for patients without LVI compared to 35.8% with LVI. Based on these factors, a nomogram predicting 3-year and 5-year DMFS and OS was developed, demonstrating high concordance with actual survival in the cohort (Harrell C-index 0.809 for OS, 0.801 for DMFS, respectively).
Conclusion
The prognosis of cHCC-CCA is notably poor when combined with LVI. Given the significant impact of adverse features, accurate outcome prediction is crucial. Moreover, consideration of adjuvant therapy may be warranted for patients exhibiting poor survival and increased risk of local recurrence or distant metastasis.

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Gastrointestinal cancer

Distinct Characteristics and Changes in Liver Function of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab for More Than 1 Year: Youngun Kim, Jung Sun Kim, Beodeul Kang, Ilhwan Kim, Hyeyeong Kim, Won Suk Lee, Yun Beom Sang, Sanghoon Jung, Chansik An, Chan Kim, Hong Jae Chon; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(4):1231-1239. Published online May 27, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.237

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Purpose
Since 2020, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Ate/Bev) has been the standard first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but long-term treatment studies are limited. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics and effects of Ate/Bev for over 1 year.
Materials and Methods
This study included patients with unresectable HCC treated with first-line Ate/Bev between May 2020 and April 2022. Those receiving Ate/Bev for 1 year or more were classified as the long-term treatment group.
Results
Of 246 patients, 69 (28.0%) were in the long-term treatment group, which comprised more proportions of intrahepatic tumor burden < 25%, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0, and a lower proportion of portal vein tumor thrombosis than the short-term treatment group. The long-term treatment group had a higher incidence of atezolizumab-related thyroid dysfunction (31.9% vs. 10.7%, p < 0.001; median time to onset [mTTO], 2.8 months), dermatologic toxicity (29.0% vs. 14.7%, p=0.017; mTTO, 3.3 months), bevacizumab-related hypertension (44.9% vs. 22.0%, p=0.001; mTTO, 4.2 months), and proteinuria (69.6% vs. 38.4%, p < 0.001; mTTO, 6.8 months), compared to the short-term treatment group. Regarding liver function in the long-term treatment group, patients initially classified as Child-Pugh class A decreased from 87.0% to 75.4%, and albumin-bilirubin grade 1 decreased from 68.1% to 50.7% after 1 year of treatment.
Conclusion
The Ate/Bev long-term treatment group had a lower intrahepatic tumor burden, less portal vein tumor thrombosis, and better performance status and liver function at baseline. Atezolizumab-related immunological adverse events emerged relatively early in treatment compared to the bevacizumab-related. Additionally, some patients demonstrated liver function deterioration during long-term Ate/Bev treatment.

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Clinical and Radiologic Predictors of Response to Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Se Jin Choi, Sung Won Chung, Jonggi Choi, Kang Mo Kim, Hyung-Don Kim, Changhoon Yoo, Baek-Yeol Ryoo, Seung Soo Lee, Won-Mook Choi, Sang Hyun Choi; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(4):1219-1230. Published online May 7, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2024.283

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
This study aimed to identify clinical and radiologic characteristics that could predict response to atezolizumab-bevacizumab combination therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Materials and Methods
This single-center retrospective study included 108 advanced HCC patients with intrahepatic lesions who were treated with atezolizumab-bevacizumab. Two radiologists independently analyzed imaging characteristics of the index tumor on pretreatment computed tomography. Predictive factors associated with progressive disease (PD) at the best response based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, ver. 1.1 were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Progression-free survival (PFS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.
Results
Of 108 patients with a median PFS of 15 weeks, 40 (37.0%) had PD during treatment. Factors associated with PD included the presence of extrahepatic metastases (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 14.35; p=0.03), the infiltrative appearance of the tumor (aOR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.05 to 8.93; p=0.04), and the absence of arterial-phase hyperenhancement (APHE) (aOR, 6.34; 95% CI, 2.18 to 18.47; p < 0.001). Patients with two or more of these factors had a PD of 66.7% and a median PFS of 8 weeks, indicating a significantly worse outcome compared to the patients with one or no of these factors.
Conclusion
In patients with advanced HCC treated with atezolizumab-bevacizumab treatment, the absence of APHE, infiltrative appearance of the intrahepatic tumor, and presence of extrahepatic metastases were associated with poor response and survival. Evaluation of early response may be necessary in patients with these factors.

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Liver Transplantation for Hepatocarcinoma: Results over Two Decades of a Transplantation Programme and Analysis of Factors Associated with Recurrence
María Martínez Burgos, Rocío González Grande, Susana López Ortega, Inmaculada Santaella Leiva, Jesús de la Cruz Lombardo, Julio Santoyo Santoyo, Miguel Jiménez Pérez
Biomedicines.2024; 12(6): 1302. CrossRef

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Efficacy of Lenvatinib Combined with Anti–PD-1 Antibodies Plus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study: Xiangye Ou, Junyi Wu, Jiayi Wu, Yangkai Fu, Zhenxin Zeng, Shuqun Li, Yinan Li, Deyi Liu, Han Li, Bin Li, Jianyin Zhou, Shaowu Zhuang, Shuqun Cheng, Zhibo Zhang, Kai Wang, Shuang Qu, Maolin Yan; Cancer Res Treat. 2024;56(4):1207-1218. Published online April 30, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2023.1165

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Purpose
The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is extremely poor, and systemic therapy is currently the mainstream treatment. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib combined with anti–programmed cell death-1 antibodies and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (triple therapy) in patients with HCC and PVTT.
Materials and Methods
This retrospective multicenter study included patients with HCC and PVTT who received triple therapy, were aged between 18 and 75 years, classified as Child-Pugh class A or B, and had at least one measurable lesion. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rates, and disease control rates were analyzed to assess efficacy. Treatment-related adverse events were analyzed to assess safety profiles.
Results
During a median follow-up of 11.23 months (range, 3.07 to 34.37 months), the median OS was greater than 24 months, and median PFS was 12.53 months. The 2-year OS rate was 54.9%. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 69.8% (74/106) and 84.0% (89/106), respectively; 20.8% (22/106) of the patients experienced grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths occurred. The conversion rate to liver resection was 31.1% (33/106), with manageable postoperative complications. The median OS was not reached in the surgery group, but was 19.08 months in the non-surgery group. The median PFS in the surgery and non-surgery groups were 20.50 and 9.00 months, respectively.
Conclusion
Triple therapy showed promising survival benefits and high response rates in patients with HCC and PVTT, with manageable adverse effects.

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Intraindividual Comparison of MRIs with Extracellular and Hepatobiliary Contrast Agents for the Noninvasive Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using the Korean Liver Cancer Association–National Cancer Center 2022 Criteria: Ja Kyung Yoon, Dai Hoon Han, Sunyoung Lee, Jin-Young Choi, Gi Hong Choi, Do Young Kim, Myeong-Jin Kim; Cancer Res Treat. 2023;55(3):939-947. Published online February 10, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2022.1645

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Purpose
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the per-lesion sensitivity and specificity of the Korean Liver Cancer Association–National Cancer Center (KLCA-NCC) 2022 criteria for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with intraindividual comparison of the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging with extracellular agents (ECA-MRI) and hepatobiliary agents (HBA-MRI).
Materials and Methods
Patients at high risk for HCC who were referred to a tertiary academic institution for hepatic lesions with size ≥ 10 mm between July 2019 and June 2022 were enrolled. A total of 91 patients (mean age, 58.1 years; 76 men and 15 women) with 118 lesions who underwent both ECA-MRI and HBA-MRI were eligible for final analysis. The per-lesion sensitivities and specificities of the KLCA-NCC 2022 criteria using ECA-MRI and HBA-MRI were compared using McNemar’s test.
Results
The 118 lesions were 93 HCCs, 4 non-HCC malignancies, and 21 benign lesions. On HBA-MRI, the “definite” HCC category showed significantly higher sensitivity than ECA-MRI (78.5% vs. 58.1%, p < 0.001), with identical specificity (92.0% vs. 92.0%, p > 0.999). For “probable” or “definite” HCC categories, there were no differences in the sensitivity (84.9% vs. 84.9%, p > 0.999) and specificity (84.0% vs. 84.0%, p > 0.999) between ECA-MRI and HBA-MRI.
Conclusion
The “definite” HCC category of the KLCA-NCC 2022 criteria showed higher sensitivity in diagnosing HCC on HBA-MRI compared with ECA-MRI, without compromising specificity. There were no significant differences in the sensitivity and specificity of “probable” or “definite” HCC categories according to ECA-MRI and HBA-MRI.

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Intraindividual comparison of prognostic imaging features of HCCs between MRIs with extracellular and hepatobiliary contrast agents
Ja Kyung Yoon, Dai Hoon Han, Sunyoung Lee, Jin‐Young Choi, Gi Hong Choi, Do Young Kim, Myeong‐Jin Kim
Liver International.2024; 44(10): 2847. CrossRef

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Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein Mediates the Upregulation of C5α Receptor 1 via NF-κB Pathway to Facilitate the Growth and Migration of Hepatoma Cells: Fanyun Kong, Yukai Tao, Dongchen Yuan, Ning Zhang, Qi Li, Tong Yu, Xiaoying Yang, Delong Kong, Xiaohui Ding, Xiangye Liu, Hongjuan You, Kuiyang Zheng, Renxian Tang; Cancer Res Treat. 2021;53(2):506-527. Published online November 16, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2020.397

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