Efficacy and safety of donafenib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and anti-PD1 antibody for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC): A retrospective study.

Abstract

e16120 Background: For unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), the efficacy of TACE monotherapy is not satisfactory. It has recently been reported that molecular targeted drugs combined with anti-PD1 antibody and TACE exhibit improved anti-tumor efficacy compared with monotherapy. Donafenib is a new generation of multi-kinase inhibitor which is approved as the first-line treatment for uHCC. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of donafenib, anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody and TACE in patients with uHCC. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study, and involved patients with uHCC who received donafenib (200 mg po bid) combined with TACE and anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody or donafenib (200 mg po bid) combined with TACE at Shanghai Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital from September 2021 to September 2022. All patients had at least one measurable lesion defined by mRECIST criteria. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) data of patients were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 34 patients with uHCC were included and had a median age of 56 years (32–81 years). Of these patients, 3 (9%) were classed as BCLC stage B, 31 (91%) were BCLC stage C. All 34 patients were complicated with HBV infection. First-line treatment was administered to 24 patients (71%), among which 21 patients received donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD1 antibody. 3 patients were treated with donafenib combined with TACE. The remaining 10 patients (19%) received second-line treatment, among which 7 patients were treated with donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD1 antibody. 3 patients received donafenib combined with TACE. There were 14 patients (41%) with baseline AFP ≥400 ng/mL. At data cut-off, the median follow-up time was 5 months [95% CI: 3.42-6.58]. The best overall response rate (BOR) was complete response in 5 patients (14.7%), partial response in 13 patients (38.2%), stable disease in 10 patients (29.4%), and progressive disease in 6 patients (17.6%). The ORR was 52.9% (95%CI: 36.7–68.6%) and DCR was 82.4% (95%CI: 66.5–91.7%). The median PFS and median OS were not reached, the one-year PFS rate was 61.6% (95%CI: 38–78.7%), and the one-year OS rate was 83.1% (95%CI: 56.1–95.2%). The ORR (58%) and DCR (87.5%) of patients receiving first-line treatment were better compared with those of patients receiving second-line treatment (40% and 70%, respectively). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were reported by 30 patients (88.2%), of which 7 patients (20.6%) had grade 3 TRAE. No grade 4 or 5 TRAE was reported. Conclusions: Donafenib combined with TACE and anti-PD-1 antibody exhibited encouraging efficacy and favorable safety profile in patients with uHCC.