Systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma: a recap of the current status

Petros Giovanis,Michele De Boni,Riccardo Berletti,Manuela De Bona,Davide Pastorelli,Simona D'Ippolito,Fable Zustovich,Fabio Farinati,Andrea Buda,Umberto Cillo

doi:10.20517/2394-5079.2018.21

Petros Giovanis, Michele De Boni + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2018.21

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Journal: Hepatoma Research	Publication Date: Apr 27, 2018
Citations: 1	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Padua

Abstract

Hepatoma Research is an open access journal and focuses on all topics related to hepatoma. The following articles are especially welcome: pathogenesis, clinical examination and early diagnosis of hepatoma, complications of hepatoma, and their preventions and treatments, etc.

Highlights

In the last decade the outcomes of many oncologic diseases have been dramatically transformed the introduction of novel therapies; the recourse to sequential or combination strategies allowed to achieve long term benefits in overall survival (OS)[1,2]
A sense of nihilism persisted in the oncology community in the subsequent decades due to failure of the new studies with molecular targeted agents to demonstrate a benefit in OS or time to tumor progression (TTP) or progression-free survival (PFS)
The results indicated significant improvements in the primary endpoint of OS [10.6 months with regorafenib vs. 7.8 months with placebo hazard ratio (HR) 0.63, P < 0.0001] besides the secondary endpoints PFS (3.1 vs. 1.5 months, HR 0.46; P < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

In the last decade the outcomes of many oncologic diseases have been dramatically transformed the introduction of novel therapies; the recourse to sequential or combination strategies allowed to achieve long term benefits in overall survival (OS)[1,2]. Systemic therapies in liver cancer achieved the first important goal in 2007 when the introduction of the target agent sorafenib provided a therapeutic option for patients with HCC in progression or evaluated not suitable for locoregional treatments[5,6]. After this initial success, a sense of nihilism persisted in the oncology community in the subsequent decades due to failure of the new studies with molecular targeted agents to demonstrate a benefit in OS or time to tumor progression (TTP) or progression-free survival (PFS). The drugs brivanib, everolimus, linifanib, ramucirumab and tivantinib failed pivotal studies designed in second-line settings in patients progressing or intolerant to sorafenib[6]

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion