Atsushi Hiraoka1, Takashi Kumada2, Kazuya Kariyama3, Koichi Takaguchi4, Ei Itobayashi5, Noritomo Shimada6, Kazuto Tajiri7, Kunihiko Tsuji8, Toru Ishikawa9, Hironori Ochi10, Masashi Hirooka11, Akemi Tsutsui4, Hiroshi Shibata12, Toshifumi Tada2, Hidenori Toyoda2, Kazuhiro Nouso3, Kouji Joko10, Yoichi Hiasa11, Kojiro Michitaka1. 1. Gastroenterology Center, Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital, Ehime, Japan. 2. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan. 3. Department of Gastroenterology, Okayama City Hospital, Okayama, Japan. 4. Department of Hepatology, Kagawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Takamatsu, Japan. 5. Department of Gastroenterology, Asahi General Hospital, Asahi, Japan. 6. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ootakanomori Hospital, Kashiwa, Japan. 7. Department of Gastroenterology, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan. 8. Center of Gastroenterology, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. 9. Department of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Niigata Daini Hospital, Niigata, Japan. 10. Hepato-biliary Center, Matsuyama Red Cross Hospital, Matsuyama, Japan. 11. Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan. 12. Department of Gastroenterology, Tokushima Prefectural Central Hospital, Tokushima, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: Lenvatinib (LEN) has recently become available as a first-line tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). In patients who showed intolerability or failure in other TKI treatments, alternative treatment options are needed. This retrospective study evaluated the therapeutic potential of LEN in clinical practice. METHODS: We enrolled 57 u-HCC patients treated with LEN from March to June 2018. Lenvatinib was given orally to patients weighing <60 kg at 8 mg/day and at 12 mg/day to those ≥60 kg. Following the exclusion of patients whose initial LEN dose was reduced, 49 patients were evaluated in regard to their characteristics and early therapeutic response using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors for findings of follow-up computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at 4 weeks after introducing LEN. RESULTS: The average patient age was 72.4 ± 9.3 years and 38 (77.6%) were men. The LEN dose was 8 and 12 mg in 32 and 17 patients, respectively. Twenty-nine (59.2%) had history of treatment with sorafenib and six of them (20.7%) with regorafenib. Of the 49 patients, 27 were evaluated using findings obtained by enhanced CT/MRI at 4 weeks after introducing LEN. Partial response was shown in 11, stable disease in 12, and progressive disease in four (overall response rate [ORR], 40.7%; disease control rate [DCR], 85.2%). The ORR and DCR of TKI-naïve patients (n = 8) were 50.0% and 87.5%, respectively, whereas those of TKI-experienced patients (n = 19) were 36.8% and 84.2%, respectively (P = 0.675 and P = 1.00, respectively). CONCLUSION: Early therapeutic response to LEN was favorable. This new TKI could have therapeutic potential both in patients with and without past TKI treatments.
AIM: Lenvatinib (LEN) has recently become available as a first-line tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). In patients who showed intolerability or failure in other TKI treatments, alternative treatment options are needed. This retrospective study evaluated the therapeutic potential of LEN in clinical practice. METHODS: We enrolled 57 u-HCC patients treated with LEN from March to June 2018. Lenvatinib was given orally to patients weighing <60 kg at 8 mg/day and at 12 mg/day to those ≥60 kg. Following the exclusion of patients whose initial LEN dose was reduced, 49 patients were evaluated in regard to their characteristics and early therapeutic response using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors for findings of follow-up computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at 4 weeks after introducing LEN. RESULTS: The average patient age was 72.4 ± 9.3 years and 38 (77.6%) were men. The LEN dose was 8 and 12 mg in 32 and 17 patients, respectively. Twenty-nine (59.2%) had history of treatment with sorafenib and six of them (20.7%) with regorafenib. Of the 49 patients, 27 were evaluated using findings obtained by enhanced CT/MRI at 4 weeks after introducing LEN. Partial response was shown in 11, stable disease in 12, and progressive disease in four (overall response rate [ORR], 40.7%; disease control rate [DCR], 85.2%). The ORR and DCR of TKI-naïve patients (n = 8) were 50.0% and 87.5%, respectively, whereas those of TKI-experienced patients (n = 19) were 36.8% and 84.2%, respectively (P = 0.675 and P = 1.00, respectively). CONCLUSION: Early therapeutic response to LEN was favorable. This new TKI could have therapeutic potential both in patients with and without past TKI treatments.