Opinion
Video
Author(s):
Drs Saeed and Singal discuss additional data presented at AASLD 2023 related to frontline systemic therapies and emerging combinations in unresectable HCC.
This is a video synopsis/summary of a Post-Conference Perspectives featuring Anwaar Saeed, MD, and Amit Singal, MD, MS.
Singal discusses an AASLD abstract examining clinical and imaging factors to predict risk of varices in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, which can help determine need for pretreatment endoscopy before regimens like atezolizumab-bevacizumab. The model achieved a high negative predictive value, meaning it reliably identified low-risk patients unlikely to have varices. If validated, using it could avoid endoscopy in 50% of HCC cases.
Transitioning to emerging treatments, Saeed reviews phase 2 and phase 3 HCC study data presented at AASLD. A network meta-analysis found the regimens of sintilimab plus a bevacizumab biosimilar and camrelizumab-apatinib offered the best survival hazard ratios, followed by atezolizumab-bevacizumab and durvalumab-tremelimumab, which also showed efficacy vs sorafenib. However, she cautions that regional heterogeneity between trial populations limits head-to-head cross-study comparisons. A separate single-arm phase 2 study of tislelizumab- anlotinib reported encouraging response rate and disease control data, albeit in a trial where a number of patients had hepatitis B–associated HCC, a positive prognostic factor. Mature survival outcomes are still needed.
Video synopsis is AI-generated and reviewed by OncLive® editorial staff.