Potential of ramucirumab in treating hepatocellular carcinoma patients with elevated baseline alpha-fetoprotein.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Gilabert M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6219272 | biostudies-literature | 2018
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Potential of ramucirumab in treating hepatocellular carcinoma patients with elevated baseline alpha-fetoprotein.
Gilabert Marine M Raoul Jean-Luc JL
Journal of hepatocellular carcinoma 20181102
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents ~90% of primary liver cancers and constitutes a major global health problem. Since a decade ago, the management of advanced disease that cannot be locally treated has mainly been based on multi-targeted antiangiogenic therapies. Some have demonstrated improvement in overall survival over best supportive care in first- and second-line treatment. This study focused on the efficacy of antiangiogenics in patients with advanced HCC and particularly the rising ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundPost hoc analyses assessed the prognostic and predictive value of baseline alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), as well as clinical outcomes by AFP response or progression, during treatment in two placebo-controlled trials (REACH, REACH-2).MethodsSerum AFP was measured at baseline and every three cycles. The prognostic and predictive value of baseline AFP was assessed by Cox regression models and Subpopulation Treatment Effect Pattern Plot method. Associations between AFP (≥ 20% increase) and radiographic progression and efficacy were assessed.ResultsBaseline AFP was confirmed as a continuous (REACH, REACH-2; p < 0.0001) and dichotomous (≥400 vs. <400 ng/ml; REACH, p < 0.01) prognostic factor, and was predictive for ramucirumab survival benefit in REACH (p = 0.0042 continuous; p < 0.0001 dichotomous). Time to AFP (hazard ratio [HR] 0.513; p < 0.0001) and radiographic (HR 0.549; p < 0.0001) progression favoured ramucirumab. Association between AFP and radiographic progression was shown for up to 6 (odds ratio [OR] 5.1; p < 0.0001) and 6-12 weeks (OR 1.8; p = 0.0065). AFP response was higher with ramucirumab vs. placebo (p < 0.0001). Survival was longer in patients with an AFP response than patients without (13.6 vs. 5.6 months, HR 0.451; 95% confidence interval, 0.354-0.574; p < 0.0001).ConclusionsAFP is an important prognostic factor and a predictive biomarker for ramucirumab survival benefit. AFP ≥ 400 ng/ml is an appropriate selection criterion for ramucirumab.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, REACH (NCT01140347) and REACH-2 (NCT02435433).
| S-EPMC8039038 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:The global, randomized, phase 3 REACH-2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02435433) found significantly longer overall survival (OS) for second-line ramucirumab versus placebo (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.710, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.531-0.949, P?=?0.0199) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)???400 ng/mL. This prespecified subgroup analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of ramucirumab in the Japanese patients enrolled in the study. METHODS:Patients with advanced HCC and AFP???400 ng/mL after first-line sorafenib were randomized 2:1 to ramucirumab (8 mg/kg intravenously) or placebo every 2 weeks. Hazard ratios for progression-free survival (PFS) and OS (primary endpoint of the overall study) were estimated using the stratified Cox regression model. We also pooled individual patient data from REACH-2 with data from REACH (NCT01140347) for patients with AFP???400 ng/mL. RESULTS:In the Japanese REACH-2 subpopulation, there were improvements for ramucirumab (n?=?41) versus placebo (n?=?18) in PFS (HR 0.282, 95% CI 0.144-0.553) and OS was numerically prolonged (HR 0.599, 95% CI 0.303-1.187), consistent with the significant benefit seen in the overall REACH-2 study population. In the ramucirumab and placebo arms, respectively, the objective response rate was 7.3% and 0%, and the disease control rate was 70.7% and 33.3%. The most frequently reported grade???3 treatment-emergent adverse event was hypertension (ramucirumab: 15%; placebo: 11%). CONCLUSIONS:Ramucirumab after prior sorafenib improved PFS and OS compared with placebo, with a manageable safety profile, in the Japanese REACH-2 subpopulation, consistent with the overall REACH-2 study results. Ramucirumab is the first agent to demonstrate clinical benefit for Japanese patients with HCC in the second-line setting.
| S-EPMC7242235 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIntermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as defined by Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B, is heterogeneous in terms of liver function and tumor burden. REACH and REACH-2 investigated ramucirumab in patients with HCC after prior sorafenib, with REACH-2 enrolling only patients with baseline α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/mL. An exploratory analysis of outcomes by BCLC stage was performed.MethodsA pooled meta-analysis of independent patient data (stratified by study) from REACH (AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL) and REACH-2 was performed. All patients had Child-Pugh A, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, prior sorafenib treatment, and either HCC BCLC stage B (refractory/not amenable to locoregional therapy) or BCLC stage C. Patients were randomized to ramucirumab 8 mg/kg or placebo every 2 weeks. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Treatment effects in BCLC stage B and C were evaluated by Cox proportional-hazards model; prognosis of BCLC staging for OS was evaluated by multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model. Tumor responses were evaluated according to Response Evaluation in Solid Tumors v1.1. Liver function was assessed with albumin-bilirubin score.ResultsBaseline characteristics were generally balanced between treatment arms in each BCLC stage. BCLC staging trended as an independent prognostic factor for OS (B vs. C; hazard ratio [HR] 0.756 [95% CI 0.546-1.046]). Consistent treatment benefit was observed for ramucirumab versus placebo across BCLC stages. Median OS for ramucirumab versus placebo was 13.7 versus 8.2 months; HR (95%): 0.43 (0.23-0.83) and 7.7 versus 4.8 months; HR (95%): 0.72 (0.59-0.89) for BCLC stage B and C, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) were consistent with observations from both studies; hypertension was the most frequent grade ≥3 AE. Liver function was preserved throughout the study and similar between treatment arms in both BCLC stages.ConclusionsRamucirumab provided a better survival benefit irrespective of BCLC stage and was well tolerated without compromising liver function during treatment.
| S-EPMC8527922 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPost-hoc analyses of AFP response and progression and their relationship with objective measures of response and survival were performed in patients from REACH.MethodsSerum AFP was measured at baseline and every 3 cycles (2 weeks/cycle). Associations between AFP and radiographic progression and efficacy end points were analysed.ResultsMedian percent AFP increase from baseline was smaller in the ramucirumab than in the placebo arm throughout treatment. Time to AFP progression (HR 0.621; P < 0.0001) and to radiographic progression (HR 0.613; P < 0.0001) favoured ramucirumab. Association between AFP and radiographic progression was shown at 6 (OR 6.44, 95% CI 4.03, 10.29; P < 0.0001) and 12 weeks (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.47, 3.53; P = 0.0002). AFP response was higher with ramucirumab compared with placebo (P < 0.0001). More patients in the ramucirumab arm experienced tumour shrinkage and AFP response compared with placebo. Survival was longer in patients with AFP response (13.6 months) than in patients without (6.2 months), irrespective of treatment (HR 0.457, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsTreatment with ramucirumab prolonged time to AFP progression, slowed AFP increase and was more likely to induce AFP response. Similar benefits in radiographic progression and response correlated with AFP changes.
| S-EPMC6035236 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSerum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the approved serum marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening. However, not all HCC patients show high (??20 ng/mL) serum AFP, and the molecular mechanisms of HCCs with normal (<?20 ng/mL) serum AFP remain to be elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to identify biological features of HCCs with normal serum AFP by investigating differential alternative splicing (AS) between HCCs with normal and high serum AFP.MethodsWe performed a genome-wide survey of AS events in 249 HCCs with normal (n?=?131) and high (n?=?118) serum AFP levels using RNA-sequencing data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas.ResultsIn group comparisons of RNA-seq profiles from HCCs with normal and high serum AFP levels, 161 differential AS events (125 genes; ?PSI?>?0.05, FDR?<?0.05) were identified to be alternatively spliced between the two groups. Those genes were enriched in cell migration or proliferation terms such as "the cell migration and growth-cone collapse" and "regulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) transport and uptake by IGF binding proteins". Most of all, two AS genes (FN1 and FAM20A) directly interact with AFP; these relate to the regulation of IGF transport and post-translational protein phosphorylation. Interestingly, 42 genes and 27 genes were associated with gender and vascular invasion (VI), respectively, but only eighteen genes were significant in survival analysis. We especially highlight that FN1 exhibited increased differential expression of AS events (?PSI?>?0.05), in which exons 25 and 33 were more frequently skipped in HCCs with normal (low) serum AFP compared to those with high serum AFP. Moreover, these events were gender and VI dependent.ConclusionWe found that AS may influence the regulation of transcriptional differences inherent in the occurrence of HCC maintaining normal rather than elevated serum AFP levels.
| S-EPMC7771076 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The biomarkers α-fetoprotein (AFP), Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive AFP fraction (AFP-L3), and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) have emerging implications in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance, overall prognosis, and post-surgical recurrence risk. This retrospective study investigated treatment and bridge to liver transplant (LT) prognosis associated with AFP, AFP-L3%, and DCP biomarker profiles prior to liver-directed therapy (LDT). In a 140-patient cohort, each biomarker was associated with HCC progression risk using the established thresholds of AFP > 20 ng/mL, AFP-L3 > 15%, and DCP > 7.5 ng/mL. Over 60% of the cohort expressed at least one biomarker at baseline. Although most biomarker-positive patients expressed the clinical standard AFP (57/87), only 32% were positive for AFP alone. Biomarker accumulation increased HCC progression risk but was not associated with demographic factors or preserved liver function. Biomarker triple negative patients had smaller index HCC (p = 0.003), decreased multifocal burden (p = 0.010), and a higher objective response rate (ORR, 62% compared to 46%, p = 0.011). Expressing all three biomarkers at baseline was associated with dismal first-line ORR (12%) with a median time to progression (TTP) of only 181 days post-LDT. Patients with triple negative status for the HCC biomarkers AFP, AFP-L3%, and DCP have the highest first-line ORR with < 5% HCC progression 1-year post-LDT. Biomarker profiling can establish baseline prognosis for identifying optimal bridge to LT and downstaging to LT candidates with triple negative biomarker status and providing an ideal post-LDT target as a compliment to radiographic response.
| S-EPMC8507524 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe clinical value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in patients with AFP-negative (< 20 ng/ml) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent curative resection remained controversial.AimsTo investigate clinical relevance and prognostic effect of preoperative serum AFP level in this subgroup.MethodsA total of 1879 patients with AFP-negative HCC who underwent curative resection were included in the study. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate were displayed by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Multivariate cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to identify the independent prognostic factors. The prognostic predictive performance was analyzed by time-dependent areas under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).ResultsEven in AFP-negative HCC, patients with high preoperative serum AFP level tended to have multiple tumor (P < 0.001), poorer differentiation of tumor cell (P < 0.001), presence of satellite nodules (P < 0.001), and MVI (P = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the adverse impact of AFP level on prognosis, especially for DFS. Multivariate analysis identified AFP as the independent unfavorable factor for OS and DFS (P < 0.001 for both). Time-dependent AUC analysis showed that the combination with AFP could improve the prognostic predictive performance of 8th AJCC and BCLC staging system.ConclusionsAFP was still the surrogate of aggressive behavior of HCC and independent prognostic factor for patients with AFP-negative HCC underwent curative resection. Even combining with such a low level of AFP could significantly improve the predictive performance of conventional staging system.
| S-EPMC8589766 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionCabozantinib and ramucirumab are approved for the treatment of adults with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following prior sorafenib treatment; ramucirumab is restricted to use in patients with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 400 ng/mL. This matching-adjusted indirect comparison evaluated the efficacy and safety of both drugs after sorafenib in patients with HCC and AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL.MethodsIndividual patient data (IPD) from the CELESTIAL trial (cabozantinib) and population-level data from the REACH-2 trial (ramucirumab) were used. To align with REACH-2, the CELESTIAL population was limited to patients who received first-line sorafenib only and had baseline serum AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL. The IPD from CELESTIAL were weighted to balance the distribution of 11 effect-modifying baseline characteristics with those of REACH-2. Overall survival (OS; primary endpoint) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared for the CELESTIAL (matching-adjusted) and REACH-2 populations using weighted Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves and parametric (OS, Weibull; PFS, log-logistic) modeling. Rates of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) and TRAE-related discontinuations were also compared.ResultsAfter matching and weighting, baseline characteristics were balanced between populations (REACH-2, N = 292; CELESTIAL, effective sample size = 105). Weighted KM estimates for OS (median [95% CI]) were not significantly different between cabozantinib and ramucirumab (10.6 [9.5-17.3] months versus 8.7 [7.3-10.8] months; p = 0.104), but PFS was significantly longer for cabozantinib than for ramucirumab (5.5 [4.6-7.4] months versus 2.8 [2.7-4.1] months; p = 0.016). Parametric modeling results were consistent with the weighted KM analysis. Rates of some grade 3 or 4 TRAEs were lower with ramucirumab than with cabozantinib; however, TRAE-related discontinuation rates were similar (p = 0.271).ConclusionIn this MAIC, cabozantinib significantly prolonged median PFS compared with ramucirumab after prior sorafenib treatment in patients with HCC and AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL; rates of some grade 3 or 4 TRAEs were lower with ramucirumab than cabozantinib but related discontinuation rates were not significantly different between treatments.Trial registrationClinical trials.gov identifiers: CELESTIAL trial (NCT01908426) and REACH-2 trial (NCT02435433). These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
| S-EPMC8107171 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:The use of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing for the surveillance, diagnosis, and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial. Here, we compared AFP testing rates, elevated AFP rates, factors associated with elevated AFP levels, and prognostic factors associated with overall survival (OS) in HCC patients from different ethnic groups. METHODS:Patients with HCC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries. Race was categorized as white, black, and others. AFP testing rates and elevated AFP rates were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with elevated AFP levels and prognosis, respectively. All statistical tests were two sided. RESULTS:A proportion of 79.2% of total HCC patients had AFP testing reports; 77.3% of white, 79.7% of black, and 81.2% of other races underwent AFP testing. Compared with white and other races, black HCC patients had a higher rate of elevated AFP levels among all patients and the early-stage HCC patient cohort. Elevated AFP level was a significant prognostic factor for all HCC patients in different race groups. Factors associated with elevated AFP level and prognostic factors associated with OS varied significantly by race. CONCLUSIONS:AFP testing, elevated AFP rates, predictors of elevated AFP level, and prognostic factors associated with OS differed significantly according to race after adjusting for AFP levels among the three groups. AFP testing for the surveillance, diagnosis, and prognosis of HCC patients is strongly recommended, although racial disparities need to be considered.
| S-EPMC6825973 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION:serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was routinely employed as a tumor marker for screening, diagnosis, and treatment follow-up of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a substantial proportion of HCC patients had normal AFP level even at an advanced disease status. Few studies to date had tried to explore the nature and behavior of this normal AFP HCC (N-HCC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcome of N-HCC after operation. In addition, potential tumor markers for N-HCC were also sought in an attempt to augment diagnostic ability. METHODS:between 2005 and 2015, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated with hepatectomy in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Linkou branch were divided into two groups according to their preoperative serum AFP level (<15 ng/mL: NHCC; ?15 ng/mL: abnormal AFP HCC (A-HCC)). Patient demographic data and clinicopathological variables were collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant risk factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for N-HCC. ELISA and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies were employed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of various tumor markers. RESULTS:a total of 1616 patients (78% male) who underwent liver resection for HCC were included in this study. Of them, 761 patients (47.1%) were N-HCC. N-HCC patients were significantly older with more comorbidities and less hepatitis virus infections. Furthermore, N-HCC had fewer early recurrences (49.6% vs. 60.8%, p < 0.001) and better DFS (44.6 months vs. 23.6 months, p < 0.001) and OS (94.5 months vs. 81.7 months, p < 0.001). Both ELISA and IHC studies demonstrated that glypican-3 (GPC3) would be a promising diagnostic tumor marker for N-HCC. CONCLUSION:N-HCC patients were significantly older and had less hepatitis virus infections or cirrhosis. Their tumors tended to be smaller, less vascular invaded, and well-differentiated. The carcinogenesis of N-HCC may thus not be identical to that of typical HCC. GPC3 would be a promising tumor marker for diagnosing N-HCC. Further study is warranted to validate our findings.
| S-EPMC6832124 | biostudies-literature