Patient (pt) characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) treated with first-line (1L) systemic therapy in the United States (US).

Abstract

e16167 Background: Guidelines recommend systemic therapy for uHCC ineligible for locoregional therapy. Until the approval of tremelimumab + durvalumab for uHCC, in Oct 2022, 1L systemic therapies in the US included multikinase inhibitors and atezolizumab (A) + bevacizumab (B). It is crucial to understand factors driving real-world treatment decisions and outcomes in uHCC. Methods: Data were collected from electronic medical records from US Mayo Clinic sites. Pts with uHCC who initiated a 1L systemic therapy between Jun 2020–Oct 2022 (A + B was the only approved 1L immunotherapy (IO)-based regimen) with ≥2 follow-up visits, were included. Index was the date of first 1L systemic therapy. Pts were assessed by risk of post-index gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (Child-Pugh class B or C, pre-index GI bleeding, uncontrolled hypertension [HTN] [≥2 anti-HTN drugs or ≥2 vital entries of SBP > 140 mmHg or DBP > 90 mmHg]), or significant varices and band ligation). Treatment patterns, overall survival (OS), and post-index GI bleeding were assessed. Results: A total of 186 pts met the inclusion criteria. Most common etiologies of liver disease were MASH (42.7%) and hepatitis C virus (40.2%). Pre-index GI bleeding was reported in 29.0% of pts, of which 46.3% occurred within 6 months (mo) pre-index; 62.4% of pts had EGD, of which 72.4% had varices. There were 128 (68.8%) pts with GI bleeding risk and 58 (31.2%) pts without GI bleeding risk. The most common 1L systemic therapies for pts with GI bleeding risk were A + B (72.7%) and A only (9.4%), while for pts without GI bleeding risk, A + B (29.3%), nivolumab + ipilimumab (13.8%), and B + chemotherapy (12.1%) were the most common. Median OS and OS rates at 12, 18, and 24 mo were lower, and post-index GI bleeding rate was higher in pts with vs without GI bleeding risk (Table). For pts treated with A + B, median OS and OS rates at 12, 18, and 24 mo were lower in pts with vs without GI bleeding risk (Table). Conclusions: In this network, prior to the approval of other 1L IO-based regimens for uHCC, many pts received A + B, despite risk of post-index GI bleeding. Median OS with A + B was shorter in pts with vs without GI bleeding risk. Data highlight the complexity of uHCC and the unmet need for guidance on characteristics-driven treatment decisions. © 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. Reused with permission. This abstract was accepted and previously presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. All rights reserved. Table. Full cohort A + B cohort All ptsN=186 GI bleeding risk N=128 No GI bleeding risk N=58 All pts N=110 GI bleeding risk N=93 No GI bleeding risk N=17 Median follow-up, mo 20.6 20.9 20.4 21.3 21.6 20.3 Median OS, mo 14.4 11.4 40.3 13.9 12.8 Not reached OS rates, %  12 mo 55.2 48.9 68.9 55.2 52.3 70.6  18 mo 45.3 38.1 61.1 44.1 41.6 57.8  24 mo 39.4 31.8 56.8 37.1 34.6 51.3  Post-index GI bleed, % 17.2 23.4 3.4 17.3 19.4 5.9