Abstract IA19: Impact of single checkpoint inhibitors and biomarkers of response

Abstract

Abstract Single agent anti PD-1 antibodies have shown consistent safety and efficacy for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Response rates range between 15 and 20% and the rate of grade 3 and 4 adverse events is generally below 25%. Recently, the HIMALAYA trial showed that durvalumab was non-inferior to sorafenib for first-line treatment of HCC. Further, Keynote-394 showed that pembrolizumab improved survival compared to placebo in second line treatment of HCC. Nivolumab was evaluated in a dedicated cohort of Checkmate 040 in patients with child pugh B cirrhosis and determined to have a manageable safety profile, similar to that in child pugh A. Given the fact that immunotherapy-based combinations are the current standard of care for advanced HCC, and given the absence of biomarkers for patient selection, the use of single agent anti PD-1 or PD-L1 antibodies in advanced first line HCC treatment is limited to patients who are not candidates for combination therapy or patients with compromised liver function. Single agent anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies are being evaluated in the adjuvant setting and in combination with liver directed therapy. Emerging biomarker data suggest an association between T cell inflammation signature and outcome with single agent anti PD-1 and PD-L1 agents. Further research is needed to validate the early biomarker data. Citation Format: Anthony El-Khoueiry. Impact of single checkpoint inhibitors and biomarkers of response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in the Pathogenesis and Molecular Therapies of Liver Cancer; 2022 May 5-8; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2022;28(17_Suppl):Abstract nr IA19.