Objective: This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of using transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with anlotinib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, compared with TACE alone.
Methods: This was a single-center study, retrospectively recruited 82 unresectable HCC patients who received either TACE alone (TA group; n = 46) or TACE combined with anlotinib (TC group; n = 36) between Jan 2018 and Jan 2019. The primary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). While the secondary outcomes were the objective response rate (ORR), the disease control rate (DCR), and main complications. Log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival difference. All statistical tests were 2-sided and P value <0.05 were taken as statistically significant.
Results: Patients in TC group had a significant higher PFS than those in TA group (7.35 months vs. 5.54 months, p = 0.035). Although 3-month survival rate in the 2 groups was not statistically different (97.2% vs. 93.5%, p = 0.627), the survival rate at 6 months and 1 year were strongly higher in TC group (83.3% vs. 56.5%, p = 0.016; 66.7% vs. 19.6%, respectively, p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significantly higher ORR in TC group, while no statistical difference existed in DCR. Neither treatment-related mortality nor grade 4 adverse events (AEs) occurred. However, 2 patients in TC group had grade 3 AEs (one suffered with erythra, and the other with hand-foot-skin reaction), which disappeared after prompt treatment.
Conclusion: TACE combined with anlotinib is safe and may improve outcomes for unresectable HCC patients comparing with TACE alone. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to further evaluate treatment effects of anlotinib in HCC.
Keywords: anlotinib; hepatocellular carcinoma; objective response rate; overall survival; progression-free survival; transarterial chemoembolization.