Histological predictors of aggressive recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Assessment of recurrence risk after liver resection (LR) is critical in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly with the advent of effective adjuvant therapy. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and pathological factors associated with recurrence, aggressive recurrence, and survival after LR. METHOD: We performed a retrospective study in which all single HCC (BCLC-0/A) patients treated with LR between February 2000 and November 2020 were included. The main clinical variables were recorded. Histological features were blindly evaluated by two independent pathologists. Aggressive recurrence was defined as those that exceeded the Milan criteria at 1st recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were included (30% BCLC 0 and 70% BCLC A), median (IQR) tumor size of 28 (19-42 mm). The prevalence of microvascular invasion and/or satellitosis (mVI/S) was 39%, with a kappa-index between both pathologists of 0.8. After a median follow-up of 49 (23-85) months, 61/218 (28%) patients died, 32/218 (15%) underwent liver transplantation, 127 (58%) developed HCC recurrence. The prevalence of aggressive recurrence was 35% (44/127 Milan-out, with 20 cases at advanced stage), and the 5-year survival rate was 81%. The presence of mVI/S was the only independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 1.83, 95% CI 1.28-2.61, p <0.001), aggressive recurrence (HR 3.31, 95% CI 1.74-6.29, p <0.001) and mortality (HR 2.23, 95% CI 1.27-3.91, p = 0.005). The macrotrabecular-massive subtype was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of mVI/S, Edmonson Steiner grade III-IV, AFP values and vessels that encapsulate tumor clusters, but not with recurrence, aggressive recurrence, or overall survival. CONCLUSION: The presence of mVI/S was the only independent risk factor for aggressive recurrence and mortality. This has important implications for early-stage patient management, especially in the setting of adjuvant immunotherapy or ab initio LT. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Assessment of recurrence risk after liver resection is crucial in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients with a high risk of recurrence are candidates for liver transplantation as an ab initio indication or for the potential use of adjuvant therapy. Aggressive recurrences, defined as those exceeding the Milan criteria at first recurrence, have a significant impact on overall survival (OS). Fifty-eight percent of patients experienced hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence, with a prevalence of aggressive recurrence at the first occurrence standing at 35%. After a median follow-up of 49 (23-85) months, 61 (28%) patients died, and 32 (15%) underwent liver transplantation, resulting in a 5-year OS rate of 81%. Microvascular invasion and/or satellitosis was present in 39% of our cohort and was the only independent predictor of recurrence, aggressive recurrence, and OS on multivariate analysis. This is important as it could be used to guide therapeutic management.

Outcome of patients with HCC and liver dysfunction under immunotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Immunotherapy-based regimes have changed the management of HCC. However, evidence of efficacy in patients with impaired liver function is unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses survival of HCC patients and liver dysfunction treated with immunotherapy-based regimens. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of original articles or abstracts reporting survival of HCC patients treated with immunotherapy according to liver function between 2017 and 2022. Overal survival (OS) according to restricted mean survival time (RMST) and median OS, and hazard ratio (HR) of Child-Pugh B or B/C versus Child-Pugh A were assessed while considering the line of treatment. RESULTS: Of the 2218 articles considered, 15 articles recruiting 2311 patients were included. Of these, 639 (27.7%) were Child-Pugh B and 34 (1.5%) C. RMST was 8.36 (95% CI, 6.15-10.57; I2 =93%) months, estimated from 8 studies. The HR was reported in 8 studies for survival between Child-Pugh B versus Child-Pugh A and metanalysis disclosed a 1.65 HR (95% CI,1.45-1.84; I2 =0% heterogeneity; p = 0.45). Treatment line data were available for 47% of the patients and 3 studies included patients treated with atezolizumab-bevacizumab in the first line. CONCLUSIONS: The high heterogeneity across studies reflects the incapacity of the current evidence to support the indication of immunotherapy in HCC patients with relevant liver dysfunction. It is mandatory to report complementary information to Child-Pugh classification such as prior liver decompensation, use of concomitant medication to control ascites, or signs of clinically significant portal hypertension to allow better patient stratification in future studies.

International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) white paper on hepatocellular carcinoma risk stratification and surveillance.

Major research efforts in liver cancer have been devoted to increasing the efficacy and effectiveness of surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As with other cancers, surveillance programmes aim to detect tumours at an early stage, facilitate curative-intent treatment, and reduce cancer-related mortality. HCC surveillance is supported by a large randomised-controlled trial in patients with chronic HBV infection and several cohort studies in cirrhosis; however, effectiveness in clinical practice is limited by several barriers, including inadequate risk stratification, underuse of surveillance, and suboptimal accuracy of screening tests. There are several proposed strategies to address these limitations, including risk stratification algorithms and biomarkers to better identity at-risk individuals, interventions to increase surveillance, and emerging imaging- and blood-based surveillance tests with improved sensitivity and specificity for early HCC detection. Beyond clinical validation, data are needed to establish clinical utility, i.e. increased early tumour detection and reduced HCC-related mortality. If successful, these data could facilitate a precision screening paradigm in which surveillance strategies are tailored to individual HCC risk to maximise overall surveillance value. However, practical and logistical considerations must be considered when designing and implementing these validation efforts. To address these issues, ILCA (the International Liver Cancer Association) adjourned a single topic workshop on HCC risk stratification and surveillance in June 2022. Herein, we present a white paper on these topics, including the status of the field, ongoing research efforts, and barriers to the translation of emerging strategies.

Liver cancer risk after HCV cure in patients with advanced liver disease without non-characterized nodules.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Recognition of non-characterized liver nodules (NCLN) prior to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is associated with increased hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in patients with HCV. The risk of HCC has not been defined in F3/F4 patients in whom NCLN have been ruled-out before starting DAAs and at sustained virological response (SVR). This study aimed to estimate HCC incidence in this population. METHODS: We performed a prospective study including HCV-infected patients with F3/F4 fibrosis, without a history of HCC, and who achieved SVR after DAAs. Patients were only included if they had undergone ultrasound imaging that excluded the presence of HCC/NCLN within 30 days after SVR. All patients were evaluated every 6 months until developing primary liver cancer, death or withdrawal of informed consent. HCC incidence was expressed per 100 patient-years (/100PY). Adherence to screening program was calculated every 6 months for the first 48 months. RESULTS: A total of 185 patients (63/122, F3/F4) were included. Among those with cirrhosis, 92% were Child-Pugh A and 42.7% had clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). Albumin-bilirubin score was 1 in 84.9% and 2 in 15.1% of patients, respectively. The median clinical and radiologic follow-up was 52.4 months and 48 months, respectively. Ten patients developed HCC: HCC incidence was 1.46/100PY (95% CI 0.79-2.71) in the whole cohort, 2.24/100PY (95% CI 1.21-4.17) in F4 only and 3.63/100PY (95% CI 1.95-6.74) in patients with CSPH. No HCC was registered in patients with F3. Median time between SVR and HCC occurrence was 28.1 months; 12 non-primary liver cancers were also identified. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cirrhosis without NCLN at SVR remain at risk of HCC development. The absence of HCC in patients with F3 reinforces their marginal cancer risk, but prospective studies are needed to exclude them from screening programs. LAY SUMMARY: Patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, without non-characterized liver nodules at sustained virologic response, remain at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma despite viral cure. However, the cancer risk after successful direct-acting antiviral treatment is marginal in patients with F3 fibrosis without non-characterized liver nodules. If confirmed in larger prospective studies, current screening recommendations may need to be revisited in this group of patients.

Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the extent of this association still needs to be addressed. Pooled incidence rates of HCC across the disease spectrum of NAFLD have never been estimated by meta-analysis. METHODS: In this systematic review, we searched Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library from January 1, 1950 through July 30, 2020. We included studies reporting on HCC incidence in patients with NAFLD. The main outcomes were pooled HCC incidences in patients with NAFLD at distinct severity stages. Summary estimates were calculated with random-effects models. Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression analyses were carried out to address heterogeneity. RESULTS: We included 18 studies involving 470,404 patients. In patients with NAFLD at a stage earlier than cirrhosis, the incidence rate of HCC was 0.03 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.07; I2 = 98%). In patients with cirrhosis, the incidence rate was 3.78 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 2.47-5.78; I2 = 93%). Patients with cirrhosis undergoing regular screening for HCC had an incidence rate of 4.62 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 2.77-7.72; I2 = 77%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NAFLD-related cirrhosis have a risk of developing HCC similar to that reported for patients with cirrhosis from other etiologies. Evidence documenting the risk in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or simple steatosis is limited, but the incidence of HCC in these populations may lie below thresholds used to recommend a screening. Well-designed prospective studies in these subpopulations are needed. The protocol for this systematic review is registered in the Prospero database (registration number CRD42018092861).

Outcome of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: An International, Multicentre, Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Information about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with liver cancer is lacking. This study characterizes the outcomes and mortality risk in this population. METHODS: Multicentre retrospective, cross-sectional, international study of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection registered between February and December 2020. Clinical data at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and outcomes were registered. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty patients from 38 centres were included, 218 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 32 with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). The median age was 66.5 and 64.5 years, and 84.9% and 21.9% had cirrhosis in the HCC and iCCA cohorts respectively. Patients had advanced cancer stage at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in 39.0% of the HCC and 71.9% of the iCCA patients. After a median follow-up of 7.20 (IQR: 1.84-11.24) months, 100 (40%) patients have died, 48% of the deaths were SARS-CoV-2-related. Forty (18.4%) HCC patients died within 30-days. The death rate increase was significantly different according to the BCLC stage (6.10% [95% CI 2.24-12.74], 11.76% [95% CI 4.73-22.30], 20.69% [95% CI 11.35-31.96] and 34.52% [95% CI 17.03-52.78] for BCLC 0/A, B, C and D, respectively; p = .0017). The hazard ratio was 1.45 (95% CI 0.49-4.31; p = .5032) in BCLC-B versus 0/A, and 3.13 (95% CI 1.29-7.62; p = .0118) in BCLC-C versus 0/A in the competing risk Cox regression model. Nineteen out of 32 iCCA (59.4%) died, and 12 deaths were related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest cohort of liver cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. It characterizes the 30-day mortality risk of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with HCC during this period.

Polyethylene Glycol Drug-Eluting Embolic Microspheres Loaded with Doxorubicin for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Feasibility, Safety, and Pharmacokinetic Study.

PURPOSE: Polyethylene glycol drug-eluting microspheres (PEG-DEMs) can be loaded to elute doxorubicin. The current study evaluated the pharmacokinetic profile and safety of PEG-DEMs in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current prospective, multicenter, dose-escalation study enrolled 25 patients (68% men) with early or intermediate stage HCC and a performance status of 0. Patients in Cohort I were assigned to receive target doxorubicin doses of 75, 100, or 150 mg. Analyses were performed on the basis of the specific dose of doxorubicin that the patients received because some patients received less than the assigned dose. Patients in Cohort II received the maximum safe tested dose. Adverse events were classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. The tumor response was evaluated every 3 months according to the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. RESULTS: The maximum tested safe dose of doxorubicin was 150 mg. For the groups that received ≤75, 75-100, and 101-150 mg of doxorubicin, the peak plasma concentrations were 286.7 ng/mL ± 220.1, 157.1 ng/mL ± 94.6, and 245.4 ng/mL ± 142.8, respectively; the areas under the curves calculated from 0 to 24 h were 421.7 (ng × h)/mL ± 221.2, 288.1 (ng × h)/mL ± 100.9, and 608.3 (ng × h)/mL ± 319.3, respectively, with almost complete clearance at 24 h. There was no death within 30 d. The best objective response rate was 81%, and the disease control rate was 91%. The median overall survival was 27.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.5 months to not evaluated [n.e.]); the median progression-free survival was 9.8 months (95% CI, 5.5 months to n.e.). CONCLUSIONS: PEG-DEMs demonstrated a favorable safety profile with low systemic concentration of doxorubicin, and promising efficacy.

Regorafenib Efficacy After Sorafenib in Patients With Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Study.

Safety of regorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) has been recently demonstrated. We aimed to assess the survival benefit of regorafenib compared with best supportive care (BSC) in LT patients after sorafenib discontinuation. This observational multicenter retrospective study included LT patients with HCC recurrence who discontinued first-line sorafenib. Group 1 comprised regorafenib-treated patients, whereas the control group was selected among patients treated with BSC due to unavailability of second-line options at the time of sorafenib discontinuation and who were sorafenib-tolerant progressors (group 2). Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) of group 1 compared with group 2. Secondary endpoints were safety and OS of sequential treatment with sorafenib + regorafenib/BSC. Among 132 LT patients who discontinued sorafenib included in the study, 81 were sorafenib tolerant: 36 received regorafenib (group 1) and 45 (group 2) received BSC. Overall, 24 (67%) patients died in group 1 and 40 (89%) in group 2: the median OS was significantly longer in group 1 than in group 2 (13.1 versus 5.5 months; P < 0.01). Regorafenib treatment was an independent predictor of reduced mortality (hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.89; P = 0.02). Median treatment duration with regorafenib was 7.0 (95% CI, 5.5-8.5) months; regorafenib dose was reduced in 22 (61%) patients for adverse events and discontinued for tumor progression in 93% (n = 28). The median OS calculated from sorafenib start was 28.8 months (95% CI, 17.6-40.1) in group 1 versus 15.3 months (95% CI, 8.8-21.7) in group 2 (P < 0.01). Regorafenib is an effective second-line treatment after sorafenib in patients with HCC recurrence after LT.

Pancreatic Insufficiency in Patients Under Sorafenib Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

GOALS: To describe the occurrence of malabsorption (MA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients under sorafenib, the potential relationship with pancreatic insufficiency (PI), and the role of pancreatic enzymes supplementation. BACKGROUND: With the increasing options of second-line systemic therapies for HCC, the recognition of drug intolerance using practical tools is crucial. It has been proposed that a MA syndrome could be due to sorafenib-induced pancreatic dysfunction. STUDY: All sorafenib-treated patients with suspicion of MA (defined as decreased stool consistency lasting >4 wk or presenting ≥10% body weight loss without HCC progression) were prospectively evaluated by serum markers, endoscopy, and imaging techniques. RESULTS: We evaluated 81 sorafenib-treated patients and 21 developed MA suspicion (85.7% male, 81.5% Child-Pugh A, 52.4% BCLC-B, and 47.6% BCLC-C) within a median 5.9 months after starting sorafenib. The median treatment duration, follow-up, and overall survival after MA suspicion were 5.9, 20.3, and 20.3 months, respectively. Nine of them (42.9%) presented hyperparathyroidism secondary to vitamin D deficiency and 8 with PI. A gradual decrease in pancreatic volume of up to 19% was observed among patients with PI. Six of the 8 patients with PI received pancreatic enzymes, with complete recovery from MA symptoms and stabilization of pancreatic volume. CONCLUSIONS: We validated the association between MA and PI in 10% of sorafenib-treated patients. Pancreatic enzymes supplementation successfully led to symptomatic recovery. Awareness of this adverse event can help in the management of sorafenib irrespective of cancer type and likely, of other tyrosine kinase inhibitors for HCC patients.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of sorafenib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Implications for combination trials.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Sorafenib and lenvatinib are the first-line treatments approved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but information is lacking about the relationships between their pharmacokinetics, patients pharmacogenetic profiles, adverse events (AE) and overall survival. We aimed to elucidate these relationships of tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, such as sorafenib, in order to improve the design of trials testing it in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. METHODS: We assessed the pharmacokinetics of sorafenib and its N-oxide metabolite at day-0, day-7, day-30, day-60, day-90, day-120, day-150 and day-180 and nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in five genes related to sorafenib metabolism/transport to identify the best point for starting the combination between tyrosine kinases and checkpoint inhibitors. RESULTS: We prospectively included 49 patients (96% cirrhotic, 37% hepatitis-C, 82% Child-Pugh-A and 59% BCLC-C). Pharmacokinetic values peaked at day-7 and progressively declined until day-60. In the 16 patients without further dose modifications after day-60, pharmacokinetic values remained stable through day-180 (sorafenib P = .90; N-oxide P = .93). Pharmacokinetic values were higher in patients with early dermatological adverse events and lower in patients with early diarrhoea. Sorafenib and N-oxide pharmacokinetic values varied linearly with different alleles of MRP2*3972. CONCLUSIONS: Sorafenib's pharmacokinetics is heterogeneous across HCC patients. This heterogeneity affects adverse events development and must be taken into account in setting the dose and timing of its combination with checkpoint inhibitors.

International and multicenter real-world study of sorafenib-treated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma under dialysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Information on safety and efficacy of systemic treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) under dialysis are limited due to patient exclusion from clinical trials. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the rate, prevalence, tolerability, and outcome of sorafenib in this population. METHODS: We report a multicenter study comprising patients from Latin America and Europe. Patients treated with sorafenib were enrolled; demographics, dose modifications, adverse events (AEs), treatment duration, and outcome of patients undergoing dialysis were recorded. RESULTS: As of March 2018, 6156 HCC patients were treated in 44 centres and 22 patients were concomitantly under dialysis (0.36%). The median age was 65.5 years, 40.9% had hepatitis C, 75% had Child-Pugh A, and 85% were Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-C. The median time to first dose modification, treatment duration and overall survival rate were 2.4 months (interquartile ranges [IQR], 0.8-3.8), 10.8 months (IQR, 4.5-16.9), and 17.5 months (95% CI, 7.2-24.5), respectively. Seventeen patients required at least 1 dose modification. The main causes of first dose modification were asthenia/worsening of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-Performance Status and diarrhoea. At the time of death or last follow-up, four patients were still on treatment and 18 had discontinued sorafenib: 14 were due to tumour progression, 2 were sorafenib-related, and 2 were non-sorafenib-related AE. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes observed in this cohort seem comparable to those in the non-dialysis population. Thus, to the best of our knowledge, this is the largest and most informative dataset regarding systemic treatment outcomes in HCC patients undergoing dialysis.

Preliminary experience on safety of regorafenib after sorafenib failure in recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

Regorafenib is one option for second-line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), improving overall survival (OS) of sorafenib-tolerant patients who develop progression. We aim to evaluate the safety and outcomes of regorafenib as second-line treatment for HCC recurrence after liver transplantation (LT). This is a retrospective, multicenter, international study including regorafenib-treated LT patients (2015-2018), with analysis of baseline characteristics and evolutionary events during sorafenib/regorafenib treatment. Twenty-eight LT patients (57 years, 7% cirrhotics, 54% performance status 1) were included. Median time from LT to regorafenib initiation was 3.9 (1.1-18.5) years; median time on sorafenib was 11.3 (0.7-76.4) months and 14 (1-591) days from sorafenib discontinuation to regorafenib. During regorafenib (6.3 months), all patients had at least one adverse event (AE), the most common grade 3/4 AEs were fatigue (n = 7) and dermatological reaction (n = 5). While no liver rejection was observed, plasma levels of immunosuppressive drugs increased in five. Twenty-four patients developed progression (38% extrahepatic growth, 33% new extrahepatic lesions/vascular invasion). Median OS from regorafenib initiation was 12.9 (95% CI, 6.7-19.1) and 38.4 months (95% CI, 18.5-58.4) for the sorafenib initiation. This is the first study showing safety of regorafenib after LT, thus providing the rational of considering regorafenib in the clinical decision-making in sorafenib-tolerant patients with HCC recurrence after LT.

New Systemic Treatments in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The principal advancements in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are the use of new systemic treatments, such as lenvatinib in first-line treatment and regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab in second-line treatment, because of their benefits in terms of overall survival. In addition, nivolumab as a second-line agent was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017 based on improved radiological response data. Physicians and patients alike will greatly benefit from this expanded arsenal of treatments once all these new drugs for the treatment of HCC finally become available. Unfortunately, in our review of the available data, we found a conspicuous lack of approved systemic treatments for HCC in the distinct setting of after liver transplantation (LT). Careful evaluation of the clinical trials for approved systemic treatments of HCC is crucial when considering the best options for those with HCC recurrence after LT. Although several first-line or second-line treatments have been shown to be effective for HCC, each of these trials was composed of its own specific populations, and those with HCC recurrence after LT were excluded. We have also summarized from a critical and clinical point of view the issues involved in the management of patients who are candidates for systemic treatment in this era of multiple drugs for the same indication.

The Gut Bacteria-Driven Obesity Development.

It is now well established that a healthy gut flora is largely responsible for the overall health of the host, while a perturbation in gut microbial communities can contribute to disease susceptibility. Obesity is a complex process involving genetic and environmental factors with an epidemiological burden that makes it a major public health issue. Studies of germ-free or gnotobiotic mice provided evidence that the diversity, as well as the presence and relative proportion of different microbes in the gut play active roles in energy homeostasis. Similarly, human studies showed that both the diversity of the microbiota and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio are decreased in obese individuals. The 'obese microbiota' seems to be able to increase dietary energy harvest and favor weight gain and fat deposition. Although research in this field has just started and many of the available data are still conflicting, the results are providing exciting perspectives, and gut microbiota manipulation has already become a new target for both prevention and treatment of obesity.

The Metabolic Role of Gut Microbiota in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease.

The prevalence of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which are common risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), has dramatically increased worldwide over the last decades. Although dietary habit is the main etiologic factor, there is an imperfect correlation between dietary habits and the development of metabolic disease. Recently, research has focused on the role of the microbiome in the development of these disorders. Indeed, gut microbiota is implicated in many metabolic functions and an altered gut microbiota is reported in metabolic disorders. Here we provide evidence linking gut microbiota and metabolic diseases, focusing on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this association.

Systemic therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma: A revolution?

The evolution in systemic therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) signifies a strategy of high-cost, high-gain innovation that originated with sorafenib, despite its limited impact on tumor response. This strategic approach paved the way for the emergence of a second wave of the short-lived competitive advantage, exemplified by the incorporation of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and tremelimumab plus durvalumab. In the context of safety concerns within the liver cancer domain, the IMBRAVE150 and HIMALAYA trials boldly incorporated bevacizumab and tremelimumab, respectively, demonstrating the continuation of the high-risk, high-reward innovation paradigm. This review delves into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of systemic therapies in the field of HCC.

Evaluation of Overall Survival by Restricted Mean Survival Time of Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer treated with Immunotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: For biliary tract cancer (BTC), the addition of immunotherapy (durvalumab or pembrolizumab) to gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis) significantly improved overall survival (OS) in phase 3 clinical trials (RCTs). However, the interpretation and magnitude of the treatment effect is challenging because OS Kaplan-Meier curves violate the proportional hazards (PH) assumption. Analysis using restricted mean survival time (RMST) allows quantification of the benefits in the absence of PH. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the benefit of immunotherapy-based regimens for OS at 24 months using RMST analysis. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using studies published up to 8 November 2023. Only phase 3 RCTs evaluating the use of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 combined with GemCis and reporting OS were included. KM curves for OS were digitized, and the data were reconstructed. A meta-analysis for OS by RMST at 24 months was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1754 participants from the TOPAZ-1 and KEYNOTE-966 trials were included. In TOPAZ-1, RMSTs at 24 months were 13.52 (7.92) and 12.21 (7.22) months with GemCis plus durvalumab and GemCis alone, respectively. In KEYNOTE-966, RMSTs at 24 months were 13.60 (7.76) and 12.45 (7.73) months with GemCis plus pembrolizumab and GemCis alone, respectively. Immunotherapy-based regimens showed a mean OS difference at 24 months by an RMST of 1.21 months [(95% CI: 0.49-1.93), p < 0.001, I2 = 0%]. CONCLUSIONS: Immunotherapy-based regimens improve OS in advanced BTC. Given this magnitude of benefit, it is essential to weigh up individual patient factors, preferences, and potential risks. RMST analysis provides valuable information to patients and physicians, facilitating decision-making in a value-based medical environment.

Induction of the Inflammasome Pathway by Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Provides an Actionable Therapeutic Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

During the last decade, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) sorafenib and regorafenib have been standard systemic treatments for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous data associated sorafenib with inflammasome activation. However, the role of the inflammasome in sorafenib and regorafenib signaling has not been described in liver cancer patients. For this purpose, we analyzed inflammasome-related transcriptomic changes in a murine HCC model. Our data confirmed inflammasome activation after both TKI treatments, sharing a similar pattern of increased gene expression. According to human database results, transcriptional increase of inflammasome genes is associated with poorer prognosis for male liver cancer patients, suggesting a sex-dependent role for inflammasome activation in HCC therapy. In biopsies of HCC and its surrounding tissue, we detected durable increases in the inflammasome activation pattern after sorafenib or regorafenib treatment in male patients. Further supporting its involvement in sorafenib action, inflammasome inhibition (MCC950) enhanced sorafenib anticancer activity in experimental HCC models, while no direct in vitro effect was observed in HCC cell lines. Moreover, activated human THP-1 macrophages released IL-1ß after sorafenib administration, while 3D Hep3B spheres displayed increased tumor growth after IL-1ß addition, pointing to the liver microenvironment as a key player in inflammasome action. In summary, our results unveil the inflammasome pathway as an actionable target in sorafenib or regorafenib therapy and associate an inflammasome signature in HCC and surrounding tissue with TKI administration. Therefore, targeting inflammasome activation, principally in male patients, could help to overcome sorafenib or regorafenib resistance and enhance the efficacy of TKI treatments in HCC.