PHOCUS: A Phase 3, Randomized, Open-Label Study of Sequential Treatment with Pexa-Vec (JX-594) and Sorafenib in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Introduction: Intratumoral administration of pexa-vec (pexastimogene devacirepvec), an oncolytic and immunotherapeutic vaccinia virus, given to patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is associated with both local and distant tumor responses. We hypothesized subsequent treatment with sorafenib could demonstrate superior efficacy. Methods: This random phase III open-label study evaluated the sequential treatment with pexa-vec followed by sorafenib compared to sorafenib in patients with advanced HCC and no prior systemic treatment. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Key secondary endpoints included time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival, overall response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR). Safety was assessed in all patients who received ≥1 dose of study treatment. Results: The study was conducted at 142 sites in 16 countries. From December 30, 2015, to the interim analysis on August 2, 2019, 459 patients were randomly assigned (pexa-vec plus sorafenib: 234, sorafenib: 225). At the interim analysis, the median OS was 12.7 months (95% CI: 9.89, 14.95) in the pexa-vec plus sorafenib arm and 14.0 months (95% CI: 11.01, 18.00) in the sorafenib arm. This led to the early termination of the study. The median TTP was 2.0 months (95% CI: 1.77, 2.96) and 4.2 months (95% CI: 2.92, 4.63); ORR was 19.2% (45 patients) and 20.9% (47 patients); and DCR was 50.0% (117 patients) and 57.3% (129 patients) in the pexa-vec plus sorafenib and sorafenib arms, respectively. Serious adverse events were reported in 117 (53.7%) patients in the pexa-vec plus sorafenib and 77 (35.5%) patients in the sorafenib arm. Liver failure was the most frequently reported in both groups. Conclusion: Sequential pexa-vec plus sorafenib treatment did not demonstrate increased clinical benefit in advanced HCC and fared worse compared to sorafenib alone. The advent of the added value of checkpoint inhibitors should direct any further development of oncolytic virus therapy strategies.

Short-term reduction of dietary gluten improves metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease: A randomised, controlled proof-of-concept study.

BACKGROUND: The current management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) relies on lifestyle intervention. Prior studies have shown that nutritional wheat amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATI) activate toll-like receptor 4 on intestinal myeloid cells to enhance intestinal and extra-intestinal inflammation, including the promotion of murine MASLD, insulin resistance and liver fibrosis. AIMS: We aimed to assess the impact of ATI (gluten)-free diet in liver as well as metabolic parameters of biopsy-proven MASLD patients. METHODS: We performed a 6-week, proof-of-concept 1:1 randomised controlled trial of an ATI-free diet. The controls followed a balanced diet recommended by the German Nutrition Society. We assessed changes in controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), body mass index (BMI) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Patient-reported outcomes were assessed by the CLDQ-NASH questionnaire. Forty-five patients were consecutively enrolled (21 in the intervention arm and 24 in the control arm). RESULTS: Three patients from each arm discontinued the study. In the ATI-free diet group, a significant decrease in BMI (p = 0.018), CAP (p = 0.018) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.042) was observed at 6 weeks. The mean difference in CAP between the two arms at week 6 was 30.5 dB/m (p = 0.039), with a delta significantly higher in the ATI-free diet group (p = 0.043). Only an ATI-free diet could achieve a significant improvement in CLDQ-NASH domains (p value for total scoring: 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: A short-term ATI-free diet leads to significant improvements in liver and metabolic parameters, as well as patient-reported outcomes with good tolerability. A larger follow-up study is justified to corroborate these findings. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04066400.

Obesity and harmful alcohol consumption are predictors for advanced liver disease in the disease management program for type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for advanced liver disease. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in primary care centers participating in the diabetes disease management program (DMP) in Germany. METHODS: A total of 175 participants with the diagnosis of T2DM were enrolled in two primary care centers. Steatotic liver disease (SLD; hepatic steatosis, ≥275 dB/m), fibrosis (≥8 kPa), and cirrhosis (≥15 kPa) were assessed non-invasively using vibration-controlled transient elastography. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify clinical predictors of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The AUDIT questionnaire was used to screen for alcohol consumption, and a score ≥8 was considered harmful alcohol consumption. RESULTS: The majority of participants were male (62%), and the median age was 66 years (interquartile range 59; 71). The median body mass index was 31.1 kg/m2 , with 58.9% of the participants being obese. Harmful alcohol consumption was prevalent in 8.0% and 20.0% of the entire cohort and in those with cirrhosis, respectively. The prevalence of SLD, fibrosis, and cirrhosis was 77.1%, 42.3%, and 12.0%, respectively. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, obesity, and harmful alcohol consumption were associated with the highest odds of fibrosis (odds ratio [OR] 5.198, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.269-11.908) and cirrhosis (OR 5.615, 95% CI 1.274-24.756), respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients seen in the diabetes DMP in Germany is high. Obesity and harmful alcohol consumption increase the risk of fibrosis and cirrhosis in people with T2DM. Screening for advanced liver disease and associated risk factors within the DMP program may reduce the liver disease burden in this high-risk population.

N-cadherin: A diagnostic marker to help discriminate primary liver carcinomas from extrahepatic carcinomas.

Distinguishing primary liver cancer (PLC), namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), from liver metastases is of crucial clinical importance. Histopathology remains the gold standard, but differential diagnosis may be challenging. While absent in most epithelial, the expression of the adherens junction glycoprotein N-cadherin is commonly restricted to neural and mesenchymal cells, or carcinoma cells that undergo the phenomenon of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, we recently established N- and E-cadherin expression as hallmarks of normal hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, which are also preserved in HCC and iCCA. Therefore, we hypothesized that E- and/or N-cadherin may distinguish between carcinoma derived from the liver vs carcinoma of other origins. We comprehensively evaluated E- and N-cadherin in 3359 different tumors in a multicenter study using immunohistochemistry and compared our results with previously published 882 cases of PLC, including 570 HCC and 312 iCCA. Most carcinomas showed strong positivity for E-cadherin. Strong N-cadherin positivity was present in HCC and iCCA. However, except for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (23.6% of cases) and thyroid cancer (29.2%), N-cadherin was only in some instances faintly expressed in adenocarcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract (0%-0.5%), lung (7.1%), pancreas (3.9%), gynecological organs (0%-7.4%), breast (2.2%) as well as in urothelial (9.4%) and squamous cell carcinoma (0%-5.6%). As expected, N-cadherin was detected in neuroendocrine tumors (25%-75%), malignant melanoma (46.2%) and malignant mesothelioma (41%). In conclusion, N-cadherin is a useful marker for the distinction of PLC vs liver metastases of extrahepatic carcinomas (P < .01).

A meta-analysis and real-world cohort study on the sex-related differences in efficacy and safety of immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: Sex-related differences in the immune pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly related to oestrogen-dependent secretion of pro-tumourigenic cytokines, are well-known. Whether sex influences the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy is not known. Methods: We performed a restricted maximum likelihood random effects meta-analysis of five phase III trials that evaluated immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in advanced HCC and reported overall survival (OS) hazard ratios (HRs) stratified by sex to evaluate sex-related differences in OS. In a real-world cohort of 840 patients with HCC from 22 centres included between 2018 and 2023, we directly compared the efficacy and safety of atezolizumab + bevacizumab (A+B) between sexes. Radiological response was reported according to RECIST v1.1. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for OS and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: In the meta-analysis, immunotherapy was associated with a significant OS benefit only in male (pooled HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.73-0.86) but not in female (pooled HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.70-1.03) patients with HCC. When directly comparing model estimates, no differences in the treatment effect between sexes were observed. Among 840 patients, 677 (81%) were male (mean age 66 ± 11 years), and 163 (19%) were female (mean age 67 ± 12 years). Type and severity of adverse events were similar between the two groups. OS and PFS were comparable between males and females upon uni- and multivariable analyses (aHR for OS and PFS: 0.79, 95% CI 0.59-1.04; 1.02, 95% CI 0.80-1.30, respectively). Objective response rates (24%/22%) and disease control rates (59%/59%) were also similar between sexes. Conclusion: Female phase III trial participants experienced smaller OS benefit following ICI therapy for advanced HCC, while outcomes following A+B treatment were comparable between sexes in a large real-world database. Based on the ambiguous sex-related differences in survival observed here, further investigation of sex-specific clinical and biologic determinants of responsiveness and survival following ICIs are warranted. Impact and implications: While immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as standard of care for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, there are conflicting reports on whether the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy differs between females and males. Our study suggests ambiguous sex-related differences in outcomes from immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma. Further investigation of sex-specific clustering in clinicopathologic and immunologic determinants of responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy should be prioritised. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023429625.

Characteristics and outcomes of immunotherapy-related liver injury in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma versus other advanced solid tumours.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Immune-related liver injury (irLI) is commonly observed in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We aimed to compare the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of irLI between patients receiving ICIs for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) vs. other solid tumours. METHODS: Two separate cohorts were included: 375 patients with advanced/unresectable HCC, Child-Pugh A class treated with first-line atezolizumab+bevacizumab from the AB-real study, and a non-HCC cohort including 459 patients treated with first-line ICI therapy from the INVIDIa-2 multicentre study. IrLI was defined as a treatment-related increase of aminotransferase levels after exclusion of alternative aetiologies of liver injury. The incidence of irLI was adjusted for the duration of treatment exposure. RESULTS: In patients with HCC, the incidence of any grade irLI was 11.4% over a median treatment exposure of 4.4 months (95% CI 3.7-5.2) vs. 2.6% in the INVIDIa-2 cohort over a median treatment exposure of 12.4 months (95% CI 11.1-14.0). Exposure-adjusted-incidence of any grade irLI was 22.1 per 100-patient-years in patients with HCC and 2.1 per 100-patient-years in patients with other solid tumours (p <0.001), with median time-to-irLI of 1.4 and 4.7 months, respectively. Among patients who developed irLI, systemic corticosteroids were administered in 16.3% of patients with HCC and 75.0% of those without HCC (p <0.001), and irLI resolution was observed in 72.1% and 58.3%, respectively (p = 0.362). In patients with HCC, rates of hepatic decompensation and treatment discontinuation due to irLI were 7%. Grade 1-2 irLI was associated with improved overall survival only in patients with HCC (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.29-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher incidence and earlier onset, irLI in patients with HCC is characterised by higher rates of remission and lower requirement for corticosteroid therapy (vs. irLI in other solid tumours), low risk of hepatic decompensation and treatment discontinuation, not negatively affecting oncological outcomes. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: Immune-related liver injury (irLI) is common in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but whether irLI is more frequent or it is associated with a worse clinical course in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), compared to other tumours, is not known. Herein, we compared characteristics and outcomes of irLI in two prospective cohorts including patients treated with ICIs for HCC or for other oncological indications. irLI is significantly more common and it occurs earlier in patients with HCC, also after adjustment for duration of treatment exposure. However, outcomes of patients with HCC who developed irLI are not negatively affected in terms of requirement for corticosteroid therapy, hepatic decompensation, treatment discontinuation and overall survival.

Cumulative social disadvantage and cardiovascular disease burden and mortality.

AIMS: To investigate the association between cumulative social disadvantage and cardiovascular burden and mortality in a large cohort of the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cross-sectional (n = 15 010, aged 35 to 74 years, baseline investigation period 2007 to 2012) and longitudinal data (5- and 10-year follow-ups from 2012 to 2022) from the Gutenberg Health Study were used to investigate the association between individual socioeconomic status (SES, measured via a validated questionnaire) and cardiovascular disease (CVD, composite of atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic heart failure, peripheral artery disease, and/or venous thromboembolism) risk and mortality. Subjects with prevalent CVD had a lower SES sum score, as well as lower education, occupation, and household net-income scores (all P < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that a low SES (vs. high, defined by validated cut-offs) was associated with 19% higher odds of prevalent CVD [odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% CI 1.01; 1.40] in the fully adjusted model. At 5-year follow-up, low SES was associated with both increased cardiovascular [hazard ratio (HR) 5.36, 2.24; 12.82] and all-cause mortality (HR 2.23, 1.51; 3.31). At 10-year follow-up, low SES was associated with a 68% higher risk of incident CVD (OR 1.68, 1.12; 2.47) as well as 86% higher all-cause mortality (HR 1.86, 1.55; 2.24). In general, the education and occupation scores were stronger related to risk of CVD and death than the household net-income score. Low SES was estimated to account for 451.45 disability-adjusted life years per 1000 people (years lived with disability 373.41/1000 and years of life lost 78.03/1000) and an incidence rate of 11 CVD cases and 3.47 CVD deaths per 1000 people per year. The population attributable fraction for CVD incidence after 5 years was 4% due to low SES. CONCLUSION: Despite universal healthcare access, cumulative social disadvantage remains associated with higher risk of CVD and mortality. Dimensions of education and occupation, but not household net income, are associated with outcomes of interest.

Low socioeconomic status is associated with higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in a large cohort of the general population even after comprehensive adjustment for associated variables. Education and occupation may be more important regarding CVD and mortality risk as compared to the household net income. From a public health perspective, policies should strengthen efforts to reduce socioeconomic inequalities by ensuring equal access to education and employment.

Comparison of Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Hepatic and Jugular Veins of Patients with Cirrhosis.

Background: Systemic inflammation with elevated inflammatory cytokines is a hallmark in patients with cirrhosis and the main driver of decompensation. There is insufficient data on whether inflammatory cytokine levels differ between hepatic and jugular veins, which may have implications for further immunological studies. Methods: Blood from the hepatic and jugular veins of 40 patients with cirrhosis was collected during hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements. Serum levels of 13 inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, Int-α2, Int-γ, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-18, IL-23, and IL-33) were quantified by cytometric bead array. Results: Cytokine levels of IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-18, IL-23, and IL-33 were significantly elevated in patients with decompensated cirrhosis compared to patients with compensated cirrhosis. When comparing patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH, HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg) to patients without CSPH, there were significantly enhanced serum levels of IL-6 and IL-18 in the former group. There was no significant difference between cytokine serum levels between blood obtained from the jugular versus hepatic veins. Even in subgroup analyses stratified for an early cirrhosis stage (Child-Pugh (CP) A) or more decompensated stages (CP B/C), cytokine levels were similar. Conclusion: Cytokine levels increase with decompensation and increasing portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis. There is no relevant difference in cytokine levels between hepatic and jugular blood in patients with cirrhosis.

Baseline neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio appear predictive of immune treatment related toxicity in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: A well-recognized class effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is immune-related adverse events (IrAEs) ranging from low grade toxicities to life-threatening end organ damage requiring permanent discontinuation of ICI. Deaths are reported in < 5% of patients treated with ICI. There are, however, no reliable markers to predict the onset and severity of IrAEs. We tested the association between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) at baseline with development of clinically significant IrAEs (grade ≥ 2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with ICI. AIM: To test the association between NLR and PLR at baseline with development of clinically significant IrAEs (grade ≥ 2) in HCC patients treated with ICI. METHODS: Data was extracted from an international database from a consortium of 11 tertiary-care referral centers. NLR = absolute neutrophil count/absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and PLR = platelet count/ALC. Cutoff of 5 was used for NLR and 300 for PLR based on literature. We also tested the association between antibiotic and steroid exposure to IrAEs. RESULTS: Data was collected from 361 patients treated between 2016-2020 across the United States (67%), Asia (14%) and Europe (19%). Most patients received Nivolumab (n = 255, 71%). One hundred sixty-seven (46%) patients developed at least one IrAE, highest grade 1 in 80 (48%), grade ≥ 2 in 87 (52%) patients. In a univariable regression model PLR > 300 was significantly associated with a lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.40; P = 0.044). Similarly, a trend was observed between NLR > 5 and lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.58; P = 0.097). Multivariate analyses confirmed PLR > 300 as an independent predictive marker of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 0.26; P = 0.011), in addition to treatment with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1)/cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (OR = 2.57; P = 0.037) and PD-1/tyrosine kinase inhibitor (OR = 3.39; P = 0.01) combinations. Antibiotic use was not associated with IrAE incidence (OR = 1.02; P = 0.954). Patients treated with steroids had a > 2-fold higher incidence of grade ≥ 2 IrAEs (OR = 2.74; P < 0.001), although 74% were prescribed steroids for the treatment of IrAEs. CONCLUSION: Given that high baseline NLR and PLR are associated with a decreased incidence of IrAEs, lower baseline NLR and PLR may be predictive biomarkers for the appearance of IrAEs in HCC treated with ICI. This finding is in keeping with several studies in solid tumors that have shown that baseline NLR and PLR appear predictive of IrAEs.

Variability of transient elastography-based spleen stiffness performed at 100 Hz.

BACKGROUND: Spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) performed by transient elastography at 100 Hz is a novel technology for the evaluation of portal hypertension in advanced chronic liver disease, but technical aspects are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the intraexamination variability of SSM and to determine the best transient elastography protocol for obtaining robust measurements to be used in clinical practice. METHODS: We analyzed 253 SSM exams with up to 20 scans for each examination, performed between April 2021 and June 2022. All SSM results were evaluated according to different protocols by dividing data into groups of n measurements (from 2 to 19). Considering as reference the median SSM values across all the 20 measurements, we calculated the distribution of the absolute deviations of each protocol from the reference median. This analysis was repeated 1,000 times by resampling the data. Distributions were also stratified by etiology (chronic liver disease versus clinically significant portal hypertension) and different SSM ranges: < 25 kPa, 25-75, and > 75 kPa. RESULTS: Overall, we observed that the spleen stiffness exam had less variability if it exceeded 12 measurements, i.e., absolute deviations ≤ 5 kPa at 95% confidence. For exams with higher SSM values (> 75 kPa), as seen in clinically significant portal hypertension, at least 15 measurements are highly recommendable. CONCLUSIONS: Fifteen scans per examination should be considered for each SSM exam performed at 100 Hz to achieve a low intraexamination variability within a reasonable time in clinical practice. RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Performing at least 15 scans per examination is recommended for 100 Hz SSM in order to achieve a low intraexamination variability, in particular for values > 75 kPa compatible with clinically significant portal hypertension. KEY POINTS: • Spleen stiffness measurement by transient elastography is used for stratification in patients with portal hypertension. • At 100 Hz, this method may have intraexamination variability. • A minimum of 15 scans per examination achieves a low intraexamination variability.

Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus lenvatinib plus placebo for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (LEAP-002): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Systemic therapies have improved the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, but there is still a need to further enhance overall survival in first-line advanced stages. This study aimed to evaluate the addition of pembrolizumab to lenvatinib versus lenvatinib plus placebo in the first-line setting for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: In this global, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 study (LEAP-002), patients aged 18 years or older with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, Child Pugh class A liver disease, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and no previous systemic treatment were enrolled at 172 global sites. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) with a central interactive voice-response system (block size of 4) to receive lenvatinib (bodyweight <60 kg, 8 mg/day; bodyweight ≥60 kg, 12 mg/day) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg every 3 weeks) or lenvatinib plus placebo. Randomisation was stratified by geographical region, macrovascular portal vein invasion or extrahepatic spread or both, α-fetoprotein concentration, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. Dual primary endpoints were overall survival (superiority threshold at final overall survival analysis, one-sided p=0·019; final analysis to occur after 532 events) and progression-free survival (superiority threshold one-sided p=0·002; final analysis to occur after 571 events) in the intention-to-treat population. Results from the final analysis are reported. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03713593, and is active but not recruiting. FINDINGS: Between Jan 17, 2019, and April 28, 2020, of 1309 patients assessed, 794 were randomly assigned to lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (n=395) or lenvatinib plus placebo (n=399). Median age was 66·0 years (IQR 57·0-72·0), 644 (81%) of 794 were male, 150 (19%) were female, 345 (43%) were Asian, 345 (43%) were White, 22 (3%) were multiple races, 21 (3%) were American Indian or Alaska Native, 21 (3%) were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 13 (2%) were Black or African American, and 46 (6%) did not have available race data. Median follow up as of data cutoff for the final analysis (June 21, 2022) was 32·1 months (IQR 29·4-35·3). Median overall survival was 21·2 months (95% CI 19·0-23·6; 252 [64%] of 395 died) with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus 19·0 months (17·2-21·7; 282 [71%] of 399 died) with lenvatinib plus placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0·84; 95% CI 0·71-1·00; stratified log-rank p=0·023). As of data cutoff for the progression-free survival final analysis (April 5, 2021), median progression-free survival was 8·2 months (95% CI 6·4-8·4; 270 events occurred [42 deaths; 228 progressions]) with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus 8·0 months (6·3-8·2; 301 events occurred [36 deaths; 265 progressions]) with lenvatinib plus placebo (HR 0·87; 95% CI 0·73-1·02; stratified log-rank p=0·047). The most common treatment-related grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (69 [17%] of 395 patients in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group vs 68 [17%] of 395 patients) in the lenvatinib plus placebo group), increased aspartate aminotransferase (27 [7%] vs 17 [4%]), and diarrhoea (25 [6%] vs 15 [4%]). Treatment-related deaths occurred in four (1%) patients in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group (due to gastrointestinal haemorrhage and hepatorenal syndrome [n=1 each] and hepatic encephalopathy [n=2]) and in three (1%) patients in the lenvatinib plus placebo group (due to gastrointestinal haemorrhage, hepatorenal syndrome, and cerebrovascular accident [n=1 each]). INTERPRETATION: In earlier studies, the addition of pembrolizumab to lenvatinib as first-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma has shown promising clinical activity; however, lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab did not meet prespecified significance for improved overall survival and progression-free survival versus lenvatinib plus placebo. Our findings do not support a change in clinical practice. FUNDING: Eisai US, and Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck.

Albumin-Bilirubin Grade Analyses of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Phase III IMbrave150 Study.

Introduction: Atezolizumab + bevacizumab showed survival benefit in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) versus sorafenib in the Phase III IMbrave150 study. This exploratory analysis examined the prognostic impact of a baseline albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score. Methods: Patients with treatment-naïve unresectable HCC, ≥1 measurable untreated lesion, and Child-Pugh class A liver function were randomized 2:1 to receive atezolizumab 1,200 mg + bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks or sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed in the intention-to-treat population by ALBI/modified (m)ALBI grade. Time to deterioration (TTD; defined as time to 0.5-point increase from the baseline ALBI score over 2 visits or death) of liver function and safety were investigated. Results: Of 501 enrolled patients, 336 were randomized to receive atezolizumab + bevacizumab (ALBI grade [G] 1: n = 191; G2: n = 144 [mALBI G2a: n = 72, G2b: n = 72]; missing ALBI grade: n = 1) and 165 to sorafenib (ALBI G1: n = 87; G2: n = 78 [mALBI G2a: n = 37; G2b: n = 41]). Median follow-up was 15.6 months. OS and PFS improved with atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus sorafenib in patients with ALBI G1 (OS HR: 0.50 [95% CI: 0.35, 0.72]; PFS HR: 0.61 [95% CI: 0.45, 0.82]). In patients with ALBI G2 or mALBI G2a or G2b, PFS was numerically longer with atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus sorafenib, but no OS benefit was seen. Median TTD in the intention-to-treat population was 10.2 months (95% CI: 8.0, 11.0) with atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus 8.6 months (95% CI: 6.2, 11.8) with sorafenib (HR: 0.82 [95% CI: 0.65, 1.03]). Safety profiles of atezolizumab and bevacizumab were consistent with previous analyses, regardless of ALBI grade. Conclusion: ALBI grade appeared to be prognostic for outcomes with both atezolizumab + bevacizumab and sorafenib treatment in patients with HCC. Atezolizumab + bevacizumab preserved liver function for a numerically longer duration than sorafenib.

Development and evaluation of a virtual reality driving test for patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cirrhosis and especially those with HE may have impaired driving skills and may be prone to car accidents. This proof-of-concept study aimed to develop and evaluate the applicability of a virtual reality (VR)-based driving test in patients with cirrhosis. Additionally, the association between the results in the VR test and car accidents was investigated. METHODS: A short driving test using a VR head-mounted display (HTC Vive Pro Eye) was developed to simulate five hazardous situations. The patient has to pull the brake when the hazardous situations occur. The time from triggering the event to pressing the brake is recorded as reaction time. Total reaction time (TRT) is defined as the combined reaction time to all 5 events. Car accidents were assessed retrospectively (previous 12 months) and patients were followed prospectively for 6 months. Minimal HE (MHE) was diagnosed using Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score. RESULTS: In total, 112 outpatients with cirrhosis and 52 controls without cirrhosis were recruited. MHE was detected in 14% (n = 15). Patients with cirrhosis and MHE (5.67 s) had higher TRTs compared to patients without MHE (5.02 s) and controls without cirrhosis above the age of 50 (4.98 s) (MHE vs. no MHE or controls p<0.01, no MHE vs. controls: not significant). Seven patients reported car accidents during the twelve months prior to study inclusion. TRTs were numerically higher in patients with reported car accidents (p = 0.099). When patients who stopped driving for HE-related/cirrhosis-related reasons (n = 14) were added to the group of patients with accidents, then a longer TRT was significantly associated with the modeled outcome in univariable (p<0.01) and multivariable analyses (OR 2.83, p<0.01). Two car accidents occurred during follow-up. Both patients had TRTs above the 90th percentile. CONCLUSIONS: The VR driving test is easy and rapid to perform in patients with cirrhosis and could be helpful as a point-of-care tool for predicting car accidents.

Reduced Lipid Peroxidation Predicts Unfavorable Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, but Not Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Primary liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), remains a significant contributor to cancer-related mortality worldwide. Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation play a key role in chronic liver diseases and have been shown to be pivotal for tumor initiation and progression. 4-hydroxy-nonenal (4-HNE), one of the major mediators of oxidative stress and a well-established biomarker for lipid peroxidation, can act as a signal transducer, inducing inflammation and exerting carcinogenic effects. However, the role of 4-HNE in primary liver cancer remains poorly explored. In this study, we investigated 4-HNE levels in 797 liver carcinomas, including 561 HCC and 236 iCCA, by immunohistochemistry. We then correlated 4-HNE levels with comprehensive clinical data and survival outcomes. In HCC, lower expression levels of 4-HNE were associated with vascular invasion, a high tumor grade, a macrotrabecular-massive HCC subtype, and poor overall survival. Concerning iCCA, large duct iCCA showed significantly higher 4-HNE levels when compared to small duct iCCA. Yet, in iCCA, 4-HNE levels did not correlate with known prognostic parameters or survival outcomes. To conclude, in HCC but not in iCCA, low amounts of 4-HNE predict unfavorable survival outcomes and are associated with aggressive tumor behavior. These findings provide insights into the role of 4-HNE in liver cancer progression and may enable novel therapeutic strategies.

Prediction of postembolization syndrome after transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma and its impact on prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Postembolization syndrome (PES) represents the most frequent complication after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with HCC. Given the vague definition as a symptom complex comprising abdominal pain, fever, and nausea, PES is diagnosed in heterogeneous patient cohorts with symptoms ranging from mild pain to severe deterioration of their general condition. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors and the prognostic impact of PES with regard to different severity grades. METHODS: A total of 954 patients treated with TACE for HCC at the University Medical Centres Mainz and Freiburg were included in this study. PES disease severity was graded as mild, moderate, or severe according to a predefined combination of symptoms. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of PES. The prognostic impact of PES was evaluated by competing risk analyses considering liver transplantation as a competing risk. RESULTS: PES occurred in 616 patients (64.5%), but only 56 patients (5.9%) had severe PES, defined as moderate to severe abdominal pain requiring opioids in combination with fever and nausea. The largest tumor diameter was the strongest independent predictor of PES (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.13-1.28), and severe PES (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.14-1.33, p < 0.0001). Presence of liver cirrhosis was protective against PES (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.27-0.84, p = 0.01). Furthermore, PES was independently associated with an impaired disease control rate (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.16-0.69, p = 0.003) and severe PES with poor overall survival (subdistribution HR = 1.53, 95% CI = 0.99-2.36, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size and absence of liver cirrhosis are predictors of severe PES and associated with impaired prognosis in HCC patients after TACE.

IMbrave150: Efficacy and Safety of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab versus Sorafenib in Patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage B Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Exploratory Analysis of the Phase III Study.

Introduction: The phase III IMbrave150 study established atezolizumab + bevacizumab as standard of care in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This exploratory analysis reports efficacy and safety results in patients with baseline Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B disease. Methods: Patients with systemic treatment-naive unresectable HCC and Child-Pugh class A liver function were randomized 2:1 to receive 1,200 mg of atezolizumab plus 15 mg/kg of bevacizumab or 400 mg of sorafenib. Co-primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) per independent review facility (IRF)-assessed Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1 in the BCLC stage B subgroup. Patients in this analysis had BCLC stage B disease at baseline per electronic case report form. Secondary efficacy endpoints included the objective response rate (ORR) and change in the sum of longest diameters (SLD) of target lesions from baseline per IRF RECIST 1.1 and modified RECIST (mRECIST) for HCC. Results: Of 501 enrolled patients, 74 (15%) had BCLC stage B disease at baseline (atezolizumab + bevacizumab, n = 49; sorafenib, n = 24). For this group, median follow-up was 19.7 months. A trend toward improved OS and PFS per IRF RECIST 1.1 was observed with atezolizumab + bevacizumab versus sorafenib (OS: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29, 1.34; PFS: HR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.12). ORRs per IRF RECIST 1.1 and HCC mRECIST were 43% and 50% with atezolizumab + bevacizumab and 26% and 30% with sorafenib, respectively. Percentage change in SLD of target lesions from baseline per IRF RECIST 1.1 and HCC mRECIST showed durable responses with atezolizumab + bevacizumab treatment. Safety data were consistent with known profiles of atezolizumab and bevacizumab, as seen in the overall study population. Discussion/Conclusion: Efficacy benefits were observed with atezolizumab + bevacizumab in patients with baseline BCLC stage B disease, consistent with the intention-to-treat population.

Plain language summary of the HIMALAYA study: tremelimumab and durvalumab for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).

WHAT IS THIS SUMMARY ABOUT?: This is a summary of results from a phase 3 clinical study called HIMALAYA. HIMALAYA looked at treatment with one dose of a medication called tremelimumab combined with multiple doses of a medication called durvalumab (the STRIDE regimen) or multiple doses of durvalumab alone. These treatments were compared with a medication called sorafenib in participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a type of liver cancer that is difficult to treat because it is often diagnosed when it is unresectable, meaning it can no longer be removed with surgery. Sorafenib has been the main treatment for unresectable HCC since 2007. However, people who take sorafenib may experience side effects that can reduce their quality of life, so alternative medicines are being trialed. Tremelimumab and durvalumab are types of drugs called immunotherapies, and they both work in different ways to help the body's immune system fight cancer. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY?: Participants who took STRIDE lived longer than participants who took sorafenib, whilst participants who took durvalumab alone lived a similar length of time as participants who took sorafenib. Participants who took STRIDE or durvalumab had a lower relative risk of experiencing worsening in their quality of life than participants who took sorafenib. The side effects that participants who received STRIDE or durvalumab experienced were expected for these types of treatments and could mostly be managed. WHAT DO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY MEAN?: Overall, STRIDE is more effective than sorafenib for people with unresectable HCC.

Liver Cell Type-Specific Targeting by Nanoformulations for Therapeutic Applications.

Hepatocytes exert pivotal roles in metabolism, protein synthesis and detoxification. Non-parenchymal liver cells (NPCs), largely comprising macrophages, dendritic cells, hepatic stellate cells and liver sinusoidal cells (LSECs), serve to induce immunological tolerance. Therefore, the liver is an important target for therapeutic approaches, in case of both (inflammatory) metabolic diseases and immunological disorders. This review aims to summarize current preclinical nanodrug-based approaches for the treatment of liver disorders. So far, nano-vaccines that aim to induce hepatitis virus-specific immune responses and nanoformulated adjuvants to overcome the default tolerogenic state of liver NPCs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis have been tested. Moreover, liver cancer may be treated using nanodrugs which specifically target and kill tumor cells. Alternatively, nanodrugs may target and reprogram or deplete immunosuppressive cells of the tumor microenvironment, such as tumor-associated macrophages. Here, combination therapies have been demonstrated to yield synergistic effects. In the case of autoimmune hepatitis and other inflammatory liver diseases, anti-inflammatory agents can be encapsulated into nanoparticles to dampen inflammatory processes specifically in the liver. Finally, the tolerance-promoting activity especially of LSECs has been exploited to induce antigen-specific tolerance for the treatment of allergic and autoimmune diseases.