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Gastrointestinal cancer

Novel ICI–TKI combination improves HCC outcomes

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 20, page 733 (2023)Cite this article

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Historically, therapy for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was almost entirely dependent on VEGFR-directed multi-targeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs), predominantly sorafenib. Since 2020, however, non-TKI, immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based combinations have become the first-line standard of care. Now, use of a novel ICI and TKI regimen in this setting has been shown to prolong survival.

In the phase III CARES-310 trial, 543 patients with BCLC B or C HCC who were ineligible for or had disease progression after local or locoregional therapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive the anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab in combination with the VEGFR2-selective TKI rivoceranib (apatinib) or monotherapy with sorafenib. Most patients were of Asian ethnicity (83%) and had HCC of viral aetiology (84%). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were co-primary end points.

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  1. Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology http://www.nature.com/nrclinonc

    David Killock

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  1. David Killock
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Correspondence to David Killock.

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Killock, D. Novel ICI–TKI combination improves HCC outcomes. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 20, 733 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-023-00812-8

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