Although sorafenib is the standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion, the outcome of these patients remains very poor, with a median survival time of 5.5 to 7.2 months. It has been demonstrated that first-line treatment with transarterial chemoembolization plus radiotherapy could provide more favorable survival than sorafenib alone. However, intrahepatic dissemination and distant metastasis remains the major recurrence pattern after treatment in these patients; therefore, searching for new strategies to improve efficacy is necessary. Immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoints has demonstrated promising activity in advanced HCC. Combining radiotherapy with immune checkpoints showed promising response rates and improved survival in several solid tumor types. The aim of this randomized study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by sintilimab (an anti-PD-1 antibody) compared with stereotactic body radiotherapy alone for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion after arterially directed therapy.
A total of 116 HCC patients with portal vein invasion after arterially directed therapy (transarterial chemoembolization or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy) will be randomized to two treatment arms using a 1:1 ratio: SBRT + PD-1 arm or SBRT alone arm. Patients in both arms will receive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using volumetric arc therapy. The prescribed dose is 30-54 Gy in 3-6 fractions over 1-2 weeks. In the SBRT + PD-1 arm, sintilimab is administered intravenously at 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 1 year. The first course of sintilimab will be given within 4-6 weeks after completion of SBRT.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
116
Patients will receive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using volumetric arc therapy. The prescribed dose is 30-54 Gy in 3-6 fractions over 1-2 weeks.
Sintilimab is administered intravenously at 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 1 year. The first course of sintilimab will be given within 4-6 weeks after completion of SBRT.
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
RECRUITING24-week progression-free survival (PFS) rate
The proportion of patients with progression disease according to mRECIST at 24 weeks from randomization.
Time frame: 24 weeks after radiotherapy
Progression-free survival (PFS)
From date of randomization until the date of death from any cause or the date of first documented disease progression whichever came first, assessed up to 24 months.
Time frame: 2 years from randomization
Overall survival (OS)
From date of randomization until the date of death from any cause or the date of last follow-up, whichever came first, assessed up to 24 months.
Time frame: 2 years from randomization
24-week overall response rate (ORR)
The proportion of patients with complete response or partial response according to mRECIST at 24 weeks from randomization.
Time frame: 24 weeks after radiotherapy
24-week disease control rate (DCR)
The proportion of patients with complete response, partial response or stable disease according to mRECIST at 24 weeks from randomization.
Time frame: 24 weeks after radiotherapy
Duration of response (DOR)
From date of first CR/PR to the date of first PD according to RECIST criteria, assessed up to 24 months.
Time frame: 2 years from randomization
Adverse Events
Treatment-related adverse events are graded according to the Common Toxicity Criteria, version 4.0, and were registered from the date of informed consent until discontinuation of trial treatment.
Time frame: 2 years from randomization
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