Clinical risk factors for portal hypertension-related complications in systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: During systemic therapy, the management of portal hypertension (PH)-related complications is vital. This study aimed to clarify factors associated with the incidence and exacerbation of PH-related complications, including the usefulness of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in the management of PH-related complications during systemic therapy. METHODS: A total of 669 patients who received systemic therapy as first-line treatment (443 patients for sorafenib, 131 for lenvatinib, and 90 for atezolizumab/bevacizumab [ATZ/BEV]) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Additionally, the lower esophageal intramural vessel diameters (EIV) on CECT and endoscopic findings in 358 patients were compared. RESULTS: The cutoff values of the EIV diameter on CECT were 3.1 mm for small, 5.1 mm for medium, and 7.6 mm for large varices, demonstrating high concordance with the endoscopic findings. esophageal varices (EV) bleeding predictors include EIV ≥ 3.1 mm and portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). In patients without EV before systemic therapy, factors associated with EV exacerbation after 3 months were EIV ≥ 1.9 mm and ATZ/BEV use. Predictors of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) include the ammonia level or portosystemic shunt diameter ≥ 6.8 mm. The incidence of HE within 2 weeks was significantly higher (18%) in patients with an ammonia level ≥ 73 µmol/L and a portosystemic shunt ≥ 6.8 mm. The exacerbating factors for ascites after 3 months were PVTT and low albumin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Careful management is warranted for patients with risk factors for exacerbation of PH-related complications; moreover, the effective use of CECT is clinically important.

Percutaneous Transhepatic Direct Portosystemic Shunt for a Patient With Budd-Chiari Syndrome Using a Balloon as a Target in a Stenotic Inferior Vena Cava.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) patients with portal hypertension are often treated with a direct intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (DIPS) or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and angioplasty. DIPS can be problematic, however, due to the technical difficulty of the procedure. To address this problem, we describe a method using the balloon used for inferior vena cava (IVC) dilatation as a puncture target to safely perform DIPS in a BCS patient with complete hepatic vein occlusion and stenosis of the IVC. To perform balloon dilation, the puncture is made through the internal jugular vein, and the guidewire is advanced to the IVC with stenosis. After dilatation of the IVC, the direct left lateral subdistrict branch of the portal vein is percutaneously punctured directly from the cardiac fossa (targeting the inflated balloon in the IVC), and the IVC puncture is done through the portal vein. After creating a pull-through route, a stent is placed between the left portal vein and the IVC. The procedure is completed without any complications. This technique has the potential to form the basis of a safe and reliable DIPS procedure.

Potential of circulating receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 levels as a marker of acute liver injury.

The pathogenesis of acute liver failure (ALF) involves cell death. Necroptosis is a newly suggested programmed cell death, and receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) has been reported as a marker for necroptosis. However, there are few reports on necroptosis in ALF. Therefore, we evaluated the role of cell death markers such as cytokeratin (CK) 18, cleaved CK (cCK) 18, and RIPK3 in ALF, as well as cytokines and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Seventy-one hospitalized patients with acute liver injury (38 nonsevere hepatitis [non-SH]/22 severe hepatitis [SH]/11 ALF) were studied. No significant difference was found for cytokines, but a substantial increase in HGF levels was found following the severity of hepatitis. The non-SH group had lower levels of CK18 and cCK18 than the SH/ALF group. RIPK3 was significantly lower in the non-SH/SH group than in the ALF group. HGF, RIPK3, and albumin levels were found to be important predictive variables. The present study suggests that cCK18, CK18, and RIPK3 are associated with the severity of hepatitis. RIPK3 and other markers related cell death may be useful for understanding the pathogenesis of ALF and as a prognostic marker of acute liver injury.

Estimation of the effect of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab on pulmonary arterial hypertension using computed tomography in HCC patients.

The effect of the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. Estimation of PAH by using computed tomography (CT) has recently been proposed. Thus, we aimed to estimate the effect of Atez/Bev on PAH using CT. Altogether, 113 patients who received Atez/Bev for HCC were enrolled. Probable PAH was defined as the diameter of the main pulmonary artery (mPA-D) ≥ 33 mm, whereas suspicious PAH was defined as mPA-D ≥ 29 mm or mPA-D/the diameter of the ascending aorta (aAo-D) ≥ 1.0. Before treatment, probable/suspicious PAH were diagnosed in 7 (6.7%)/22 (21.0%) patients, respectively. mPA-D and mPA-D/aAo-D significantly increased after induction of Atez/Bev. The increment of mPA-D was correlated with the occurrence of post-treatment respiratory/heart failure. In analysis of 55 patients who underwent CT at 3 months after the last dose of Atez/Bev, mPA-D and mPA-D/aAo-D significantly decreased. However, in the group with continuous treatment of other molecular-targeted drugs after Atez/Bev, mPA-D and mPA-D/aAo-D showed no significant change. In conclusion, PAH may not be a rare complication in patients with HCC and should be managed carefully because of the possible negative effect of Atez/Bev on PAH.

Cabozantinib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Latest Real-World Practice: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cabozantinib was found to be effective as a second- or third-line treatment after sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the phase 3 CELESTIAL trial. So far, as immunotherapy has substituted molecular target agents as the primary systemic therapy for advanced HCC, cabozantinib is extensively used in the latest real-world clinical practice in a greatly different position than that shown by the CELESTIAL trial. In the current analysis, we examined the safety and effectiveness of cabozantinib administration in real-life settings for patients with advanced HCC. METHODS: We retrospectively obtained data from patients with advanced HCC who received cabozantinib in three institutions in Japan between 14 September 2018 and 30 November 2021. RESULTS: During the study period, 23 patients with advanced HCC received cabozantinib. Our cohort included 21.7% of patients with Child-Pugh class B, and 52.2% of patients in fourth line or later. The median progression-free survival of patients given cabozantinib was 3.7 months. Regarding patients with Child-Pugh class B or administration in fourth line or later, the discontinuation rate due to adverse events in patients who initialized at 40 or 20 mg was lower than those who initialized at 60 mg (42.9% versus 75.0%). Patients who were able to continue treatment with cabozantinib for more than 3 months were more likely to undergo dose reduction than those who did not (85.7% versus 25.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Cabozantinib has recently been administered to a diverse range of patients, including those who were not enrolled in the CELESTIAL trial. Deliberate dose reduction could potentially offer clinical benefits to patients with impaired liver function. Furthermore, managing adverse events by reducing the dose could play a crucial role in extending the duration of treatment with cabozantinib. The preprint version of this work is available on https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2655181/v1 .

Hyperprogressive disease during atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma from Japanese real-world practice.

BACKGROUND: Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) is a phenomenon with greatly accelerated tumor growth and clinical deterioration rates compared to pre-therapy, in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The aim of this study is to clarify the reality of HPD in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) using tumor dynamics. METHODS: Medical records of consecutive patients with advanced HCC who were treated with Atez/Bev were retrospectively reviewed. HPD was defined as a more than two- or fourfold increase in tumor growth rate (TGR) or tumor growth kinetics rate (TGKR) before and after treatment. Overall survival (OS) and baseline characteristics with or without HPD were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients were included in the analysis. When HPD was defined as a twofold of TGR or TGKR, 8 patients (8/85, 9.4%) had HPD and 11 had PD without HPD. A total of 5 patients (5/85, 5.9%) were diagnosed with HPD and 14 with PD without HPD when HPD was defined as a fourfold of TGR or TGKR. No significant difference was observed in the baseline characteristics between HPD and non-HPD. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HPD in patients with advanced HCC treated with Atez/Bev was lower than those treated with nivolumab monotherapy. The HPD mechanism in ICI combined with antibodies targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) remains to be elucidated.

Use of ramucirumab for various treatment lines in real-world practice of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Ramucirumab was shown to be effective as a second-line treatment after sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with alpha-fetoprotein levels > 400 ng/mL in a worldwide phase 3 trial. Ramucirumab is used in patients pretreated with various systemic therapies in clinical practice. We retrospectively examined the treatment outcomes of ramucirumab administered to advanced HCC patients after diverse systemic therapies. METHODS: Data were collected from patients with advanced HCC who received ramucirumab at three institutions in Japan. Radiological assessments were determined according to both Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1 and modified RECIST and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0 was used to assess adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients treated with ramucirumab between June 2019 and March 2021 were included in the study. Ramucirumab was administered as second, third, fourth, and fifth-line treatment in 13 (35.1%), 14 (37.8%), eight (21.6%), and two (5.4%) patients, respectively. Most patients (29.7%) who received ramucirumab as a second-line therapy were pretreated with lenvatinib. We found grade 3 or higher adverse events only in seven patients and no significant changes in the albumin-bilirubin score during ramucirumab treatment in the present cohort. The median progression-free survival of patients treated with ramucirumab was 2.7 months (95% confidence interval, 1.6-7.3). CONCLUSION: Although ramucirumab is used for various lines of treatment other than second-line immediately after sorafenib, its safety and effectiveness were not significantly different from the findings of the REACH-2 trial.

Successful Identification of a Novel Therapeutic Compound for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Screening of ADAM9 Inhibitors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: MHC-class I-related chain A (MICA) functions as a ligand for natural killer group D, an activating receptor on natural killer (NK) cells, and its expression correlates with the carcinogenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although membranous MICA (mMICA) activates NK cells, soluble forms of MICA (sMICA), shed by cleaving enzymes, such as A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) 9, suppress NK cells. Therefore, the prevention of MICA shedding through the inhibition of ADAM9 has the potential to activate cancer immunity. Although we have discovered several ADAM inhibitors, many did not sufficiently activate NK cells without being cytotoxic, and, thus, new ADAM9 inhibitor candidates are needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To identify possible compounds for drug development, chemical library screening (a total of 741 compounds) was conducted using a fluorescence assay. Compounds with reduced fluorescence intensity were used as hit compounds in a subsequent analysis. Their impact on sMICA and mMICA in HCC cell lines was assessed using ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. The cytotoxicity of NK cells was also evaluated by co-culturing NK cells with HCC cells. RESULTS: CCL347, a symmetrical compound with five benzene rings, was identified as a hit compound. CCL347 significantly reduced sMICA levels in the culture medium supernatant with negligible cytotoxicity. Although mMICA was also reduced, CCL347 successfully enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity in co-cultures of NK cells and HCC cells. CONCLUSION: CCL347 has potential as a novel therapeutic drug for HCC.

Clinical effects and emerging issues of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma from Japanese real-world practice.

BACKGROUND: Although the efficacy of atezolizumab has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials, its long-term efficacy and association with adverse events in real-world practice are unknown. This study was designed to shed light on these issues. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study, data were collected from patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in seven institutions in Japan. The authors focused on the efficacy and adverse events related to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients were enrolled in this study. The median progression-free survival (PFS) for the first-line treatment group was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.1-9.9), whereas the median PFS for the second- or later-line treatment group was 4.1 months (95% CI, 2.6-5.7), which was significantly worse than that of the first-line treatment group (p = .005). Twenty-seven patients had interrupted bevacizumab treatment. Proteinuria accounted for the largest proportion of bevacizumab treatment interruptions. The cumulative incidence rate of bevacizumab interruption due to anti-VEGF-related adverse events was significantly higher in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus than in those without (p = .026). The landmark analysis showed that patients experienced bevacizumab interruption by 24 weeks from treatment initiation had poorer PFS than those who did not (p = .013). CONCLUSIONS: The PFS of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line treatment mostly replicates that of a global phase 3 trial. Interrupted bevacizumab treatment was more common in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, which may be associated with worsening long-term PFS. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab has been the standard front line systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. With the growing incidence of fatty liver due to metabolic syndrome as a background liver disease for hepatocellular carcinoma, the rate of comorbid hypertension and diabetes mellitus has been increasing accordingly. The present study demonstrated the cumulative incidence rate of bevacizumab interruption due to anti-VEGF-related adverse events was significantly higher in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. The landmark analysis clarified that interruption of bevacizumab might be a risk of impaired efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab over the long term in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Miglustat, a glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor, mitigates liver fibrosis through TGF-ß/Smad pathway suppression in hepatic stellate cells.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß/Smad pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, a condition characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as collagen in response to chronic inflammation. It has been reported that ceramide regulates collagen production through TGF-ß/Smad pathway activation. In this study, we examined whether miglustat, an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, can suppress liver fibrosis by reducing TGF-ß/Smad pathway activity. Human hepatic stellate cells (HHSteCs) were cultured with TGF-ß and multiple miglustat concentrations to examine dose-dependent effects on the expression levels of ECM-related genes and Smad proteins. To evaluate the efficacy of miglustat for fibrosis mitigation, C57BL/6 mice were treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 4 weeks to induce liver fibrosis, followed by combined CCl4 plus miglustat for a further 2 weeks. To examine if miglustat can also prevent fibrosis, mice were treated with CCl4 for 2 weeks, followed by CCl4 plus miglustat for 2 weeks. Miglustat dose-dependently downregulated expression of α-smooth muscle actin and ECM components in TGF-ß-treated HHSteCs. Both phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad2 and Smad3 were also suppressed by miglustat treatment. Sirius-Red staining and hydroxyproline assays of model mouse liver samples revealed that miglustat reduced fibrosis, an effect accompanied by decreased expression of ECM. Our findings suggest that miglustat can both prevent and reverse liver fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-ß/Smad pathway.

The efficacy of contrast-enhanced computed tomography on the management of gastroesophageal varices in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The screening of gastroesophageal varices (GEV) is critical in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) is often performed in patients with HCC. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the use of CECT in screening for GEV and predicting GEV bleeding. This retrospective study enrolled 312 consecutive patients who are initially diagnosed with HCC, measured the lower esophageal (EIV) and fundal intramural vessel (FIV) diameter on CECT, examined the changes after 1, 2, and 3 years, and verified the relationship with GEV bleeding. The EIV and FIV diameter on CECT correlates well with endoscopic variceal classification. EIV significantly worsened after 2 and 3 years. FIV showed worsening at both 1, 2, and 3 years. Cumulative GEV bleeding rates were 3.7% at 1 year and 6.2% at 3 years. The multivariate analysis revealed that EIV, FIV, and portal vein tumor thrombus were associated with GEV bleeding. Furthermore, EIV deterioration at 1, 2, and 3 years correlated with GEV bleeding. In conclusion, CECT is useful in variceal management during the longitudinal clinical course of HCC, and has the potential to decrease screening endoscopy. With deterioration in EIV, treatments should be considered due to a high-risk GEV bleeding.

Antiviral Compounds Screening Targeting HBx Protein of the Hepatitis B Virus.

A functional cure of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection or HB antigen loss is rarely achieved by nucleos(t)ide analogs which target viral polymerase. HBx protein is a regulatory protein associated with HBV replication. We thought to identify antiviral compounds targeting HBx protein by analyzing HBx binding activity. Recombinant GST-tagged HBx protein was applied on an FDA-approved drug library chip including 1018 compounds to determine binding affinity by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) using a PlexArray HT system. GST protein alone was used for control experiments. Candidate compounds were tested for anti-HBV activity as well as cell viability using HepG2.2.15.7 cells and HBV-infected human hepatocytes. Of the 1018 compounds screened, 24 compounds showed binding to HBx protein. Of the top 6 compounds with high affinity to HBx protein, tranilast was found to inhibit HBV replication without affecting cell viability using HepG2.2.15.7 cells. Tranilast also inhibited HBV infection using cultured human hepatocytes. Tranilast reduced HB antigen level dose-dependently. Overall, theSPRi screening assay identified novel drug candidates targeting HBx protein. Tranilast and its related compounds warrant further investigation for the treatment of HBV infection.

Effect of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Harboring CTNNB1 Mutation in Early Clinical Experience.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (ATZ/BV) treatment is a combined immunotherapy consisting of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody, which has brought a major paradigm shift in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Gain-of-function mutation of CTNNB1 contributes to resistance of ICI monotherapy through the framework of non-T-cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment. However, whether CTNNB1 mutation renders resistance to ATZ/BV similar to ICI monotherapy remains to be elucidated. In this study, a liquid biopsy sample in plasma of 33 patients with HCC treated with ATZ/BV was subjected to droplet digital PCR for detecting hotspot mutations at the exon 3 of CTNNB1 locus. A total of eight patients (24.2%) exhibited at least one CTNNB1 mutation. The objective response rate (ORR) in patients with wild-type (WT) and mutant (MT) CTNNB1 was 8.0% and 12.5%, respectively, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 68.0% and 87.5%, respectively. No significant difference in both ORR and DCR has been observed between the two groups. The median progression-free survival in patients with WT and MT CTNNB1 was 6.6 and 7.6 months, respectively (not statistically significant). Similarly, no significant difference in overall survival has been observed between patients with WT and MT CTNNB1 (13.6 vs. 12.3 months). In conclusion, the treatment effect of ATZ/BV in patients with HCC with MT CTNNB1 was comparable to those patients with WT CTNNB1. These results implicate that BV added to ATZ might improve immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment caused by CTNNB1 mutation.

Liver biopsy technique in the era of genomic cancer therapies: a single-center retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the evolution of personalized medicine in the field of oncology, which includes optimal treatment selection using next-generation sequencing-based companion diagnostic systems and tumor-agnostic treatments according to common biomarkers, a liver tumor biopsy technique that can obtain a sufficient specimen volume must be established. The current study aimed to evaluate the safety and availability of a liver tumor biopsy technique with multiple puncture sites made using a coaxial introducer needle and embolization with gelatin sponge particles. METHODS: Patients with primary or metastatic liver cancer who underwent liver tumor biopsies with puncture tract embolization using gelatin sponge (Spongel®) from October 2019 to September 2020 were included in the study. The complication and diagnostic rates were evaluated, and whether the specimen volume was sufficient for Foundation® CDx was investigated. RESULTS: In total, 96 patients were enrolled in this analysis. The median total number of puncture times per patient was 3 (range 1-8). The pathological diagnostic rate was 79.2%. Using the FoundationOne® CDx, specimens with a sufficient volume required for genomic medicine were collected in 84.9% of patients. The incidence rate of bleeding was 4.2% (n = 4), and only one patient presented with major bleeding requiring transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Liver biopsy with puncture tract embolization using a gelatin sponge may be safe and effective for collecting specimens with a volume sufficient for modern cancer treatments.

Durvalumab with or without tremelimumab combined with particle therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with macrovascular invasion: protocol for the DEPARTURE phase Ib trial.

INTRODUCTION: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with macrovascular invasion (MVI) has the worst prognosis among all phenotypes. This trial aims to evaluate whether treatment with durvalumab, alone or in combination with tremelimumab, plus particle therapy is a safe and synergistically effective treatment in patients with advanced HCC and MVI. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This phase Ib, multicentre (two sites in Japan), open-label, single-arm, investigator-initiated clinical trial will assess durvalumab monotherapy in combination with particle therapy (cohort A) and that of durvalumab plus tremelimumab in combination with particle therapy (cohort B) for patients with advanced HCC with MVI. Cohort A will receive 1500 mg durvalumab every 4 weeks. Cohort B will receive 1500 mg durvalumab every 4 weeks in principle and 300 mg tremelimumab only on day 1 of the first cycle. Carbon-ion radiotherapy will be administered after day 8 of the first cycle. The primary endpoints are rates of any and severe adverse events, including dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs); secondary endpoints are overall survival, 6-month survival, objective response, 6-month progression-free survival and time to progression. Patients are initially enrolled into cohort A. If cohort A treatment is confirmed to be tolerated (ie, no DLT in three patients or one DLT in six patients), the trial proceeds to enrol more patients into cohort B. Similarly, if cohort B treatment is confirmed to be tolerated (ie, no DLT in three patients or one DLT in six patients), a total of 15 patients will be enrolled into cohort B. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the ethics committees of the two participating institutions (Chiba University Hospital and National Institutes for Quantum (approval number: 2020040) and Radiological Science and Technology, QST Hospital (approval number: C20-001)). Participants will be required to provide written informed consent. Trial results will be reported in a peer-reviewed journal publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: jRCT2031210046.

Exploring microsatellite instability in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and its tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Immune checkpoint inhibitors and their combination with other agents have recently been available in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hence, a thorough understanding of the tumor microenvironment based on tumor samples is yet to be achieved. This study aimed to explore the tumor microenvironment in advanced HCC in terms of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) by using tumor samples from advanced HCC patients eligible for systemic therapy. METHODS: MSI-H was assessed by polymerase chain reaction, and the expression of mismatch repair proteins, PD-L1, CD8, VEGF, and HLA-class1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Whole-exome sequencing was performed for MSI-H tumor samples. RESULTS: Of 50 patients, one (2.0%) was confirmed with MSI-H. In the MSI-H advanced HCC tumor, a high tumor mutation burden, infiltration of CD8+ lymphocytes, and low expression of VEGF were identified. Although PD-L1 expression was negative, there was shrinkage of tumor following pembrolizumab. However, another tumor nonresponsive to pembrolizumab was present simultaneously. Checking the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we found a similar case to this patient. The TCGA case had unique gene features of miR-21 and miR-155 overexpression and hypermethylation of the MSH2 gene. CONCLUSION: We identified a very small number of MSI-H cases in HCC using one tumor biopsy sample for each patient with advanced HCC. In addition, epigenetic aberrations possibly lead to MSI-H in HCC patients. Since different HCC clones might coexist in the liver, sampling from multiple tumors should be considered to clarify the true proportion of MSI-H in HCC and to analyze tumor microenvironments.

Controlling Major Portal Vein Invasion Progression during Lenvatinib Treatment by Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Macrovascular invasion (MVI), including portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT), is strongly associated with poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While recommended standard treatment for patients with advanced HCC is systemic therapy, various treatment approaches, including resection, transarterial chemoembolization, and radiation, have been empirically suggested to improve prognosis by eliminating or controlling MVI. Herein, we report our experience of a case with advanced HCC where MVI was controlled by carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) while on systemic therapy, resulting in a prolonged survival. A female patient with HCC in her early 60s had multiple intrahepatic lesions (maximum 60 mm in diameter) with PVTT. The PVTT of this patient had reached the main trunk of the portal vein despite the use of lenvatinib. The other intrahepatic lesions of the patient, except PVTT, had been controlled by lenvatinib. Therefore, hoping to control PVTT, we attempted CIRT. The patient resumed lenvatinib therapy after the irradiation. During lenvatinib re-treatment, no evident progression of PVTT was observed in the patient.