Camrelizumab, apatinib and hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy combined with microwave ablation for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and camrelizumab plus apatinib (TRIPLET protocol) is promising for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (Ad-HCC). However, the usefulness of microwave ablation (MWA) after TRIPLET is still controversial. AIM: To compare the efficacy and safety of TRIPLET alone (T-A) vs TRIPLET-MWA (T-M) for Ad-HCC. METHODS: From January 2018 to March 2022, 217 Ad-HCC patients were retrospectively enrolled. Among them, 122 were included in the T-A group, and 95 were included in the T-M group. A propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance bias. Overall survival (OS) was compared using the Kaplan-Meier curve with the log-rank test. The overall objective response rate (ORR) and major complications were also assessed. RESULTS: After PSM, 82 patients were included both the T-A group and the T-M group. The ORR (85.4%) in the T-M group was significantly higher than that (65.9%) in the T-A group (P < 0.001). The cumulative 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 98.7%, 93.4%, and 82.0% in the T-M group and 85.1%, 63.1%, and 55.0% in the T-A group (hazard ratio = 0.22; 95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.49; P < 0.001). The incidence of major complications was 4.9% (6/122) in the T-A group and 5.3% (5/95) in the T-M group, which were not significantly different (P = 1.000). CONCLUSION: T-M can provide better survival outcomes and comparable safety for Ad-HCC than T-A.

Comprehensive nutritional index for predicting overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after multiple transarterial chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about nutritional status in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after multiple rounds of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). We established a comprehensive nutritional index (CNI) and evaluated its prognostic value for overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP). METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: HCC patients (N=282) who underwent multiple TACE treatments were enrolled. CNI was established by principal component analysis based on body mass index, usual body weight percentage, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count, and albumin; the cutoff value was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden index analysis. The correlation between CNI and treatment-related complications was analyzed with Spearman's method. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model were used to compare the prognostic values of CNI, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and nutrition risk index (NRI) for OS and TTP. RESULTS: Nutritional status declined after repeated TACE (p<0.001). CNI (cutoff= 0.251) varied according to albumin-bilirubin grade, tumor size, and number of TACE treatments (p<0.001 or 0.025) and was negatively correlated with rate of serious complications (r=-0.185, p=0.002). Patients with low CNI had shorter OS (p=0.014) and TTP (p=0.007); high CNI predicted longer OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52-1.00, p=0.048) and TTP (HR, 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50-0.94, p=0.019). Post-treatment PNI and NRI were unrelated to prognosis (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HCC patients have poor nutritional status after multiple TACE treatments, which predicts shorter OS and TTP. The prognostic performance of CNI is superior to those of PNI and NRI.

Adverse reactions and their management in the treatment of malignant tumors using cytokine-induced killer cells.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the causes and the corresponding management of adverse reactions during the treatment of malignant tumors using cytokine-induced killer cells. METHODS: From January 2012 to December 2012, 441 patients received a total of 1,393 autologous cytokine-induced killer cell transfusion cycles in our department. The adverse reactions after the procedures were observed (assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity version 2.0), and targeted care and health education were delivered by nurses. RESULTS: All treatment sessions were successfully completed, and the following adverse reactions were found: grade 1/3 fever in 1.36% (19/1,393) patients; grade 2/3 fever in 0.86% (12/1,393) patients; grade 2/3 chills in 0.65% (9/1,393) patients; and grade 1/3 dizziness in 0.29% (4/1,393) patients. CONCLUSIONS: After timely intervention of the adverse reactions, all patients were treated successfully. The best timing of the CIK cell therapy for cancer patients is when the tumor burden, or the number of tumor cells, reaches the minimal level after the end of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.