Update results from ALTER-H004 study: Anlotinib combined with TACE as adjuvant therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients at high risk of recurrence after surgery—A single-arm, multicenter, phase II clinical trial.

Abstract

e16120 Background: Hepatectomy is considered to be an effective curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, high recurrence rate after curative resection severely reduces the long-term survival of HCC patients (pts). Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) as adjuvant therapy has been proved to improve clinical outcomes for pts with high recurrence risk factors after hepatectomy, but the effect is still unsatisfactory. ALTER-H004 trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib as maintenance adjuvant treatment following inductional TACE in pts with HCC. Here we updated the results at the data cutoff of January 20, 2022. Methods: This single arm, multicenter, phase II trial of ALTER-H004 was planned to enroll 30 pts which with histologically confirmed HCC and undertook hepatectomy within 1-2 months. The recruited pts who did not recieve any previous tumor-related treatment must have any of the following high risk factors: ≥5 cm and < 10 cm of tumor diameter, tumor number ≥3, tumor microvascular invasion M1 or M2, portal vein tumor thrombus resection (Cheng's classification I/II). Eligible pts received conventional TACE treatment within 1-2 months after hepatectomy. On the 3-5th day after TACE treatment, oral anlotinib (12mg, qd, d1-d14, q3w) was given until disease recurrence or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was disease free survival (DFS). Secondary endpoints included 1-year DFS rate, time to recurrence and safety. Results: By the cutoff date of January 20, 2022, 26 pts were enrolled and 25 pts received at least once tumor assessment. According to RECIST 1.1, 14 of 25 did not progress were still on treatment and 7 relapsed. One withdrew the consent and 3 discontinued because of intolerable adverse events. The longest duration of treatment is 16.53 months. The DFS were not mature and the 6-month DFS rates were 77.45% (95% CI: 53.83̃89.99). 12 of 25 pts (48.0%) experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Grade 3 TRAEs occurred in 5 pts (20.0%) included hypertension (8.0%), leukocytopenia (8.0%) and ascites (4.0%). No grade 4 or 5 TRAEs occurred. Conclusions: The update results suggested that anlotinib combined with TACE as adjuvant therapy in HCC pts at high recurrence risk exhibited promising clinical benefit and favorable safety profile, and the results needed to be confirmed in trials continued subsequently. Clinical trial information: NCT04213118.