A new treatment strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma...Investigating the combined effects of immuno-cancer drugs
Feb 16, 2025
Professor Jeon Hong-jae and Professor Kang Budeul of Hematologic Oncology Department at Cha Medical University Bundang Cha Hospital (Director Yoon Sang-wook) announced the results of a study on the long-term survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients who reached complete remission (CR) through hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) immune cancer treatment.
Jeon Hong-jae, a professor of hematologic oncology at Bundang Cha Hospital, participated as a co-corresponding author on behalf of Asia in a large-scale multinational study involving 28 medical institutions from around the world, including Asia, Europe, and the United States.
The research team analyzed 3,933 hepatocellular carcinoma patients who received immuno-oncology-based treatment between January 2019 and June 2023 with standard tumor evaluation criteria (RECIST) and modified tumor evaluation criteria (mRECIST). As a result, 174 patients (4.4%) reached complete remission (CR-mRECIST) in a modified tumor assessment, and 97 of these patients (2.5%) also showed complete remission (CR-RECIST) even in standard tumor assessment criteria.
70% of patients in the study had advanced liver cancer, with the majority (83%) receiving combination therapy for immuno-oncology drugs. The 1-year recurrence-free survival rate, which represents the percentage of patients with complete remission (CR-mRECIST) surviving without recurrence of cancer after treatment, was 78% and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 55%. This was superior to the 1-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients with complete remission (CR-RECIST) and 42% 3-year recurrence-free survival rate in standard tumor evaluation criteria.
In particular, in the analysis related to the end of immuno-cancer treatment, patients who maintained immuno-cancer drugs for at least 6 months after the findings of complete remission recorded a longer recurrence-free survival rate (p=0.008), demonstrating the importance of treatment duration. In addition, nine patients received surgical conversion therapy, and most, eight (89%) achieved pathological complete remission.
Professor Jeon Hong-jae, the head of the study, said, "This study is the world's first study to analyze the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients who have received immuno-oncology-based systemic treatment from various angles, and it is significant that it provides important guidelines for establishing strategies for treating liver cancer." "By revealing that sufficient consideration of the duration of treatment has a positive effect on the patient's prognosis when deciding whether to continue immuno-oncology treatment, it will contribute to increasing the survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and establishing treatment strategies more effectively."
This study was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Research Foundation's mid-sized research support project, and was recently published in the international journal 『Hepatology』.
Jeon Hong-jae, a professor of hematologic oncology at Bundang Cha Hospital, participated as a co-corresponding author on behalf of Asia in a large-scale multinational study involving 28 medical institutions from around the world, including Asia, Europe, and the United States.
The research team analyzed 3,933 hepatocellular carcinoma patients who received immuno-oncology-based treatment between January 2019 and June 2023 with standard tumor evaluation criteria (RECIST) and modified tumor evaluation criteria (mRECIST). As a result, 174 patients (4.4%) reached complete remission (CR-mRECIST) in a modified tumor assessment, and 97 of these patients (2.5%) also showed complete remission (CR-RECIST) even in standard tumor assessment criteria.
70% of patients in the study had advanced liver cancer, with the majority (83%) receiving combination therapy for immuno-oncology drugs. The 1-year recurrence-free survival rate, which represents the percentage of patients with complete remission (CR-mRECIST) surviving without recurrence of cancer after treatment, was 78% and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 55%. This was superior to the 1-year recurrence-free survival rate of patients with complete remission (CR-RECIST) and 42% 3-year recurrence-free survival rate in standard tumor evaluation criteria.
In particular, in the analysis related to the end of immuno-cancer treatment, patients who maintained immuno-cancer drugs for at least 6 months after the findings of complete remission recorded a longer recurrence-free survival rate (p=0.008), demonstrating the importance of treatment duration. In addition, nine patients received surgical conversion therapy, and most, eight (89%) achieved pathological complete remission.
Professor Jeon Hong-jae, the head of the study, said, "This study is the world's first study to analyze the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients who have received immuno-oncology-based systemic treatment from various angles, and it is significant that it provides important guidelines for establishing strategies for treating liver cancer." "By revealing that sufficient consideration of the duration of treatment has a positive effect on the patient's prognosis when deciding whether to continue immuno-oncology treatment, it will contribute to increasing the survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and establishing treatment strategies more effectively."
This study was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Research Foundation's mid-sized research support project, and was recently published in the international journal 『Hepatology』.
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
