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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Pharmacology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1410767

Efficacy and Safety of HAIC Combined with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors versus HAIC Monotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Provisionally accepted
Miaomiao Yang Miaomiao Yang 1Xiongying Jiang Xiongying Jiang 2Huan Liu Huan Liu 3Qingyu Zhang Qingyu Zhang 1Jing Li Jing Li 1Li Shao Li Shao 1Lei Zhao Lei Zhao 1*
  • 1 Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
  • 2 Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • 3 Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Purpose: This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of the combined approach involving hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).In this multicenter retrospective study conducted from January 2020 to December 2023, we reviewed advanced HCC patients who were treated either with HAIC alone or with a combination of HAIC and TKIs. To address initial disparities between the two groups, we employed propensity score matching (PSM). Tumor response evaluation was performed following RECIST 1.1 criteria. We compared survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progressionfree survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR), between the two treatment groups. Safety assessments were conducted for all patients.Results: Following the eligibility review, 138 patients underwent combined treatment with HAIC and TKIs (HT group), while 198 patients received HAIC monotherapy (HA group) and met the inclusion criteria for enrollment in this study. After PSM, 107 patients were assigned to each group. The HT group exhibited a longer median OS (18.0 versus 8.8 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.52, P < 0.001) compared to the HA group. Median PFS was also longer in the HT group, although without statistical significance (6.0 versus 4.7 months; HR, 0.85, P = 0.265). The HT group demonstrated a higher ORR (41.1% versus 25.2%; P = 0.020). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in the incidence of all adverse events (AEs) or grade 3/4 AEs (any grade: 81.2% for HT versus 78.8% for HA, P = 0.68; grade 3/4: 18.1% for HT versus 13.6% for HA, P = 0.29). Importantly, all AEs were manageable and acceptable. Notably, no grade 5 AEs occurred in either group.Combination therapy involving HAIC and TKIs effectively prolonged survival in advanced HCC patients. It represented a preferable alternative to HAIC monotherapy, with manageable safety.

    Keywords: Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, Propensity score matching, combination therapy

    Received: 01 Apr 2024; Accepted: 17 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yang, Jiang, Liu, Zhang, Li, Shao and Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Lei Zhao, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.