Open AccessEarly response and safety of lenvatinib for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in a real‐world setting
Author(s) -
Sho Takuya,
Suda Goki,
Ogawa Koji,
Kimura Megumi,
Shimazaki Tomoe,
Maehara Osamu,
Shigesawa Taku,
Suzuki Kazuharu,
Nakamura Akihisa,
Ohara Masatsugu,
Umemura Machiko,
Kawagishi Naoki,
Natsuizaka Mitsuteru,
Nakai Masato,
Morikawa Kenichi,
Furuya Ken,
Baba Masaru,
Yamamoto Yoshiya,
Kobayashi Tomoe,
Meguro Takashi,
Saga Akiyoshi,
Miyagishima Takuto,
Yokoo Hideki,
Kamiyama Toshiya,
Taketomi Akinobu,
Sakamoto Naoya
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
jgh open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 8
ISSN - 2397-9070
DOI - 10.1002/jgh3.12209
Subject(s) - lenvatinib , medicine , tolerability , hepatocellular carcinoma , sorafenib , clinical trial , cirrhosis , adverse effect , gastroenterology , response evaluation criteria in solid tumors , progressive disease , complete response , oncology , disease , phases of clinical research , chemotherapy
Background and Aim Lenvatinib has been recently approved as a first‐line systematic therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the results of the phase 3 clinical trial REFLECT. This trial excluded patients with a history of systemic chemotherapy, bile duct invasion, and Child‐Pugh grade B. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for these patients and in the real‐world setting. Methods Among patients who were administered lenvatinib for advanced HCC between April and October 2018 in Hokkaido University Hospital and related hospitals, we evaluated those who were followed for more than 2 months and whose treatment response was evaluated via dynamic computed tomography at baseline and 2 months after treatment initiation. Meanwhile, patients were excluded if they had decompensated liver cirrhosis, were followed up less than 2 months, or were not evaluated at 2 months. Patients were also stratified according to compliance with the REFLECT inclusion criteria for further analysis. Results A total of 41 patients were included; more than 50% did not meet the REFLECT inclusion criteria. In total, 5 (12.2%), 20 (48.8%), 12 (29.3%), and 4 (9.3%) showed complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease, respectively. The objective response rate was 61.2%. The objective response rate and disease control rate were similar between patients who did and did not meet the REFLECT inclusion criteria. Moreover, the safety profile was also similar between the two patient groups. Conclusion Lenvatinib showed high early response rate and tolerability in patients with advanced HCC. Favorable outcomes were similarly observed in patients who did not meet the REFLECT inclusion criteria.