Lenvatinib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who do not meet the REFLECT trial eligibility criteria.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who did not meet REFLECT eligibility criteria (phase 3 clinical trial).

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, patients with unresectable HCC treated with lenvatinib between 2018 and 2019 and had adequate clinical data were included. Objective response rate, progression-free-survival (PFS) and safety were evaluated according to meeting or not meeting the REFLECT eligibility criteria and according to the criteria of the REFLECT trial.

Results: Of the 105 patients included, 61% (64 of 105) did not meet the REFLECT eligibility criteria. Safety and median PFS of lenvatinib were similar between the patients who did and those who did not meet the criteria. Among the patients who did not meet the criteria, 28, 27, 14, six, seven and five had a history of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, Child-Pugh score B, HCC in ≥50% of the liver, reduced platelet count, bile duct invasion and main portal vein invasion, respectively. The efficacy and safety of lenvatinib for patients with or without Child-Pugh-score B or HCC in ≥50% of the liver were similar. Although treatment outcome was not significantly different, patients with TKI treatment history tended to have longer median PFS, whereas those with main portal vein invasion tended to have shorter median PFS.

Conclusion: Lenvatinib was effective for patients who did not meet the REFLECT inclusion criteria. However, the treatment outcome may vary according to several factors, such as a history of TKI treatment and tumor invasion.