Dr. Kaseb on Safety Profile of Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab in HCC

Ahmed O. Kaseb, MD, a professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the safety profile of the combination of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) and bevacizumab (Avastin) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The phase 3 IMbrave150 trial enrolled patients with unresectable HCC and randomized them to receive treatment with atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab or sorafenib. The adverse events (AEs) reported in both arms of the trial were expected, says Kaseb. More gastrointestinal and skin manifestations were observed in the sorafenib arm, whereas more bleeding episodes, hypertensive episodes, and proteinuria were reported in the combination arm. Grade 3 to 4 AEs occurred in 57% of patients in the combination arm versus 55% of patients in the sorafenib arm. Grade 5 AEs occurred in 5% and 6% of patients, respectively. The risk-benefit ratio must be weighed for the combination. Comorbidities and the current tumor burden must also be considered to determine which regimen to start with, concludes Kaseb.