Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Mar 2022)

Safety and Efficacy of Transarterial Chemoembolization and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition with Camrelizumab for Treatment of Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  • Zhang JX,
  • Chen P,
  • Liu S,
  • Zu QQ,
  • Shi HB,
  • Zhou CG

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 9
pp. 265 – 272

Abstract

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Jin-Xing Zhang,1,* Pei Chen,2,* Sheng Liu,1 Qing-Quan Zu,1 Hai-Bin Shi,1 Chun-Gao Zhou1 1Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Basic Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huai’an, 223005, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hai-Bin Shi; Chun-Gao Zhou, Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No. 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, 210029, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-25-68306316 ; +86-13770598792, Fax +86-25-83724440, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: The clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who receive transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and immunotherapy are not well characterized. The present study evaluates the safety and efficacy of TACE in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for unresectable HCC.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 34 HCC patients who received TACE and treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), Camrelizumab, between July 2019 and May 2021, was performed. This included 21 patients who developed progressive disease and eight who remained stable after several sessions of TACE, along with five patients who were initially diagnosed with advanced HCC. Adverse events (AEs), objective response rate (ORR) according to modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated.Results: The median follow-up from ICI initiation was 10.6 months (range: 2.4– 25.0 months). Grade I/II and grade III/IV AEs from ICI treatment occurred in 20 (58.8%) and 2 patients (5.9%), respectively. Two to three months after ICI therapy, the ORR was 35.3% (12/34) and the median PFS and OS was 6.1 months (range: 1.1– 19.3 months) and 13.3 months (range: 2.4– 25.0 months), respectively.Conclusion: TACE in combination with ICI could be a promising treatment approach for unresectable HCC patients.Keywords: efficacy, hepatocellular carcinoma, immune checkpoint inhibition, safety, transarterial chemoembolization

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