Junichi Shindoh1,2, Yusuke Kawamura3, Yuta Kobayashi4, Masahiro Kobayashi3, Norio Akuta3, Satoshi Okubo4, Yoshiyuki Suzuki3, Masaji Hashimoto4. 1. Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. jshindoh@gmail.com. 2. Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Disease, Tokyo, Japan. jshindoh@gmail.com. 3. Department of Hepatology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With the introduction of new molecular-targeted agents, an increasing number of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are benefiting from salvage interventions; however, the actual rate of conversion surgery and its prognostic advantages remain unclear. METHODS: The clinical outcomes of 107 consecutive patients who underwent lenvatinib treatment for advanced HCC were reviewed and the efficacy of additional therapy, including surgery, was investigated. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients who were initially unsuitable for curative-intent therapy or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), 54 (50.5%) received further therapy after lenvatinib treatment (surgery [n = 16] and TACE or other treatments [n = 38]). Of the 16 patients who received surgical intervention, R0 resection was achieved in 9 (8.4%) patients. Survival analysis confirmed that successful conversion to R0 resection was associated with a longer time to treatment failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.29; p = 0.002) and better disease-specific survival (HR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.30; p = 0.002) compared with no additional treatment, while additional treatment other than surgery or R2 resection was associated with only a marginal or no prognostic advantage. Multivariate analysis confirmed that a decrease in plasma des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin levels compared with baseline levels (odds ratio 22.22, 95% CI 3.42-144.29; p = 0.001) was significantly correlated with successful R0 resection after lenvatinib treatment, irrespective of the tumor response as assessed by imaging analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with advanced HCC, conversion surgery after lenvatinib treatment may offer significant survival benefit as long as R0 resection is achieved.
BACKGROUND: With the introduction of new molecular-targeted agents, an increasing number of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are benefiting from salvage interventions; however, the actual rate of conversion surgery and its prognostic advantages remain unclear. METHODS: The clinical outcomes of 107 consecutive patients who underwent lenvatinib treatment for advanced HCC were reviewed and the efficacy of additional therapy, including surgery, was investigated. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients who were initially unsuitable for curative-intent therapy or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), 54 (50.5%) received further therapy after lenvatinib treatment (surgery [n = 16] and TACE or other treatments [n = 38]). Of the 16 patients who received surgical intervention, R0 resection was achieved in 9 (8.4%) patients. Survival analysis confirmed that successful conversion to R0 resection was associated with a longer time to treatment failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.29; p = 0.002) and better disease-specific survival (HR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.30; p = 0.002) compared with no additional treatment, while additional treatment other than surgery or R2 resection was associated with only a marginal or no prognostic advantage. Multivariate analysis confirmed that a decrease in plasma des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin levels compared with baseline levels (odds ratio 22.22, 95% CI 3.42-144.29; p = 0.001) was significantly correlated with successful R0 resection after lenvatinib treatment, irrespective of the tumor response as assessed by imaging analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with advanced HCC, conversion surgery after lenvatinib treatment may offer significant survival benefit as long as R0 resection is achieved.