Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Wattana Leowattana, Tawithep Leowattana, PathompThep Leowattana
Summary: Recent studies have shown that the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic drugs improves survival in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) patients, making it the recommended first-line therapy. Trans-arterial chemoembolization may be beneficial for intermediate-stage uHCC patients with retained liver function and no extrahepatic metastasis. Ongoing research indicates promising results for the combination therapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic drugs.
WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
He-nan Qin, Zhen Ning, Rui Sun, Chen-xing Jin, Xin Guo, A-man Wang, Ji-wei Liu
Summary: This study confirms the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib as second-line therapy after progression on sorafenib or ICIs combined with anti-angiogenic inhibitors in Chinese patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective response rate (ORR) was 18.0% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 74.0%. The duration of response (DoR) was 6.0 months, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 5.0 months and overall survival (OS) of 8.5 months.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Zunirah Ahmed, Sunyoung S. Lee, David W. Victor III, Sudha Kodali
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and recent advancements in understanding its immunogenicity have led to the approval of new treatment approaches such as targeted agents and immunotherapy.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Po-Yao Hsu, Tzu-Sheng Cheng, Shih-Chang Chuang, Wen-Tsan Chang, Po-Cheng Liang, Cheng-Ting Hsu, Yu-Ju Wei, Tyng-Yuan Jang, Ming-Lun Yeh, Ching- Huang, Yi-Hung Lin, Chih-Wen Wang, Ming-Yen Hsieh, Nai-Jen Hou, Meng-Hsuan Hsieh, Yi-Shan Tsai, Yu-Min Ko, Ching-Chih Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen, Chia-Yen Dai, Zu-Yau Lin, Shinn-Cherng Chen, Jee-Fu Huang, Wan-Long Chuang, Chung-Feng Huang, Ming-Lung Yu
Summary: The study confirmed the tolerability and efficacy of regorafenib treatment for uHCC patients who failed prior sorafenib therapy, especially for those with lower baseline AFP levels or early AFP response.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hironao Okubo, Hitoshi Ando, Yusuke Takasaki, Eisuke Nakadera, Yuka Fukuo, Shuichiro Shiina, Kenichi Ikejima
Summary: This study investigated the impact of cabozantinib exposure on proteinuria and muscle toxicity in Japanese patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The findings suggest that cabozantinib treatment can lead to proteinuria and muscle toxicity, which can be predicted by measuring serum creatine kinase and aldolase levels.
Article
Oncology
Abhilasha Nair, Kelie Reece, Martha B. Donoghue, Weishi (Vivian) Yuan, Lisa Rodriguez, Patricia Keegan, Richard Pazdur
Summary: The FDA approved lenvatinib for first-line treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma based on the REFLECT trial, which showed noninferiority to sorafenib in terms of overall survival and statistically significant improvements in progression-free survival. Lenvatinib-treated patients had similar survival, more responses, and longer time to progression compared to those receiving sorafenib, but experienced more serious side effects. Lenvatinib is an effective option for previously untreated HCC patients.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yonghua Bi, Kewei Ren, Jianzhuang Ren, Ji Ma, Xinwei Han
Summary: DEB-TACE loaded with oxaliplatin has shown promising outcomes in treating unresectable or recurrent HCC patients, with high response rates and good safety profiles.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Tzu-Rong Peng, Chao-Chuan Wu, Sou-Yi Chang, Yen-Chih Chen, Ta-Wei Wu, Ching-Sheng Hsu
Summary: This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of nivolumab plus sorafenib therapy in patients with unresectable HCC. The findings showed that the combination therapy resulted in better overall survival outcomes compared to sorafenib alone.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Sandra J. Casak, Martha Donoghue, Lola Fashoyin-Aje, Xiaoping Jiang, Lisa Rodriguez, Yuan-Li Shen, Yuan Xu, Xiling Jiang, Jiang Liu, Hong Zhao, William F. Pierce, Shubhangi Mehta, Kirsten B. Goldberg, Marc R. Theoret, Paul G. Kluetz, Richard Pazdur, Steven J. Lemery
Summary: The FDA approved atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The approval was based on Study IMbrave150 which showed improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared to standard care with sorafenib. Adverse reactions included hypertension, fatigue, and proteinuria.
CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Antonella Cammarota, Antonio D'Alessio, Tiziana Pressiani, Lorenza Rimassa, Nicola Personeni
Summary: The management and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in older patients still present uncertainties, including identifying more vulnerable patients, determining treatment appropriateness through geriatric assessments, and understanding the impact of newer therapeutic agents. Age subgroup analyses did not find significant differences across trials, but the commonly used age cut-off of 65 may not adequately represent the current older population.
Article
Immunology
Bo Hu, Xiao-Bo Yang, Xin-Ting Sang
Summary: The study identified different immune-related clusters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and developed a robust tumor gene signature. By utilizing immune-related genes (IRGs), the research aimed to assist in explaining the heterogeneity of HCC and potentially develop more efficient individualized treatments.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Fujimasa Tada, Atsushi Hiraoka, Toshifumi Tada, Masashi Hirooka, Kazuya Kariyama, Joji Tani, Masanori Atsukawa, Koichi Takaguchi, Ei Itobayashi, Shinya Fukunishi, Kunihiko Tsuji, Toru Ishikawa, Kazuto Tajiri, Hironori Ochi, Hidenori Toyoda, Chikara Ogawa, Takashi Nishimura, Takeshi Hatanaka, Satoru Kakizaki, Noritomo Shimada, Kazuhito Kawata, Atsushi Naganuma, Hisashi Kosaka, Tomomitsu Matono, Hidekatsu Kuroda, Yutaka Yata, Hideko Ohama, Kazuhiro Nouso, Asahiro Morishita, Akemi Tsutsui, Takuya Nagano, Norio Itokawa, Tomomi Okubo, Taeang Arai, Keisuke Yokohama, Hiroki Nishikawa, Michitaka Imai, Yohei Koizumi, Shinichiro Nakamura, Hiroko Iijima, Masaki Kaibori, Yoichi Hiasa, Takashi Kumada
Summary: The study found that Atez/Bev may be a viable treatment option for uHCC patients with EGV, as long as appropriate endoscopic treatment is carried out. Despite differences in certain liver function parameters between EGV and non-EGV groups, there was no significant variance in progression-free survival rates.
JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Tetsu Tomonari, Joji Tani, Yasushi Sato, Hironori Tanaka, Takahiro Tanaka, Tatsuya Taniguchi, Yutaka Kawano, Asahiro Morishita, Koichi Okamoto, Masahiro Sogabe, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Tsutomu Masaki, Tetsuji Takayama
Summary: This retrospective study analyzed the treatment outcomes of lenvatinib and atezolizumab + bevacizumab in 244 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study found that patients who underwent conversion therapy had significantly higher rates of downstaging and longer overall survival compared to those receiving chemotherapy alone. Patients with mALBI 1+2a and BCLC-B stage were more likely to achieve downstaging through conversion therapy.
Article
Oncology
Ze Zhang, Tianyu Jiao, Junfeng Li, Bingyang Hu, Wenwen Zhang, Zhijun Wang, Tao Wan, Yafei Wang, Shichun Lu
Summary: This study aimed to explore the potential efficacy of treatment based on TKIs in combination with PD-1 inhibitors for unresectable recurrent HCC. The results showed that the combination therapy of TKIs and PD-1 inhibitors can significantly prolong the survival of patients.
WORLD JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jian Huang, Zhen-Guang Wang, Qi-Fei Tao, Yun Yang, Sheng-Xian Yuan, Fang-Ming Gu, Hui Liu, Ze-Ya Pan, Bei-Ge Jiang, Wan Yee Lau, Wei-Ping Zhou
Summary: This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Lenvatinib-based combination therapies for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The results showed that a proportion of patients benefited from this treatment with manageable safety profiles, allowing them to undergo surgery.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Alessandro Vitale, Gianluca Svegliati-Baroni, Alessio Ortolani, Monica Cucco, Giulio Dalla Riva, Edoardo G. Giannini, Fabio Piscaglia, Gianludovico Rapaccini, Mariella Di Marco, Eugenio Caturelli, Marco Zoli, Rodolfo Sacco, Giuseppe Cabibbo, Fabio Marra, Andrea Mega, Filomena Morisco, Antonio Gasbarrini, Francesco Giuseppe Foschi, Gabriele Missale, Alberto Masotto, Gerardo Nardone, Giovanni Raimondo, Francesco Azzaroli, Gianpaolo Vidili, Filippo Oliveri, Filippo Pelizzaro, Rafael Ramirez Morales, Umberto Cillo, Franco Trevisani, Luca Miele, Giulio Marchesini, Fabio Farinati
Summary: This study compared patients with MAFLD and non-MAFLD who had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Italy. It found that the proportion of MAFLD in HCC patients was increasing over time and is expected to surpass non-MAFLD in the future. Despite a later cancer stage at diagnosis, MAFLD HCC patients had a lower risk of HCC-related death, suggesting reduced cancer aggressiveness.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Quirino Lai, Nicoletta De Matthaeis, Michele Finotti, Giovanni Galati, Giuseppe Marrone, Fabio Melandro, Filomena Morisco, Daniele Nicolini, Riccardo Pravisani, Edoardo G. Giannini
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of antiplatelet therapy on the incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma. The results suggest that antiplatelet therapy is associated with a reduced risk of HCC incidence and post-treatment mortality.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Stefano Kayali, Andrea Pasta, Maria Corina Plaz Torres, Ariel Jaffe, Mario Strazzabosco, Simona Marenco, Edoardo G. Giannini
Summary: This systematic review with pooled analysis assessed the safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in liver transplant recipients. The results showed that ICI treatment in these patients is associated with a risk of graft rejection and mortality, but some patients had disease control and longer overall survival. More prospective studies are needed to provide accurate data on the safety and efficacy of ICI treatment in this population.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mariabeatrice Principi, Fabio Salvatore Macaluso, Alessia Todeschini, Federica Facciotti, Antonella Contaldo, Fabiana Castiglione, Olga Maria Nardone, Rocco Spagnuolo, Patrizia Doldo, Gaia Riguccio, Francesco Simone Conforti, Chiara Vigano, Marta Ascolani, Gionata Fiorino, Carmen Correale, Giorgia Bodini, Monica Milla, Giulia Scardino, Marta Vernero, Federico Desideri, Flavio Caprioli, Mariella Mannino, Giuseppe Rizzo, Ambrogio Orlando
Summary: This study presents data on the safety of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. About 45% of patients experienced at least one side effect, all of which were mild and short-lived. Female sex, younger age, seroconversion, and comorbidity were significantly associated with adverse events.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Andrea Pasta, Francesco Calabrese, Sara Labanca, Simona Marenco, Giulia Pieri, Maria Corina Plaz Torres, Nicolas M. Intagliata, Stephen H. Caldwell, Edoardo G. Giannini
Summary: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in patients with cirrhosis. The results suggested that the current evidence is insufficient to advise for or against the use of VTE prophylaxis, mainly due to lack of quality and homogeneity of available data. However, the prophylaxis does not appear to be associated with a significant bleeding risk.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Edoardo G. Giannini, Giacomo Borgonovo, Simona Marenco, Manuela Cesaretti
LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Aron Emmi, Michele Sandre, Francesco Paolo Russo, Giulia Tombesi, Federica Garri, Marta Campagnolo, Miryam Carecchio, Roberta Biundo, Gaya Spolverato, Veronica Macchi, Edoardo Savarino, Fabio Farinati, Piero Parchi, Andrea Porzionato, Luigi Bubacco, Raffaele De Caro, Gabor G. Kovacs, Angelo Antonini
Summary: This study revealed the presence of neuronal dysfunction and reactive gliosis in the duodenum of patients with Parkinson's disease, suggesting that the enteric nervous system is involved in the pathophysiology of the disease.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)
Letter
Hematology
Andrea Pasta, Francesco Calabrese, Edoardo G. Giannini
THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Filippo Pelizzaro, Fabio Farinati, Franco Trevisani
Summary: In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significantly improved the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab has become the standard frontline treatment for advanced stage HCC. However, not all patients benefit from immunotherapy, and identifying predictive biomarkers for response or resistance is crucial for optimal treatment selection. This review aims to summarize available data on tumor and clinical features associated with response or resistance to immunotherapies in HCC.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Fabio Salvatore Macaluso, Mariabeatrice Principi, Federica Facciotti, Antonella Contaldo, Alessia Todeschini, Simone Saibeni, Cristina Bezzio, Fabiana Castiglione, Olga Maria Nardone, Rocco Spagnuolo, Massimo Claudio Fantini, Gaia Riguccio, Simone Conforti, Flavio Caprioli, Chiara Vigano, Carla Felice, Gionata Fiorino, Carmen Correale, Giorgia Bodini, Monica Milla, Giulia Scardino, Marta Vernero, Federico Desideri, Fabrizio Bossa, Maria Guerra, Marco Ventimiglia, Angelo Casa, Giuseppe Rizzo, Ambrogio Orlando
Summary: This prospective study has shown that a lack of seroconversion after receiving two doses of COVID-19 vaccines is a significant predictor of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, the treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
S. Censi, S. Carducci, G. Zoppini, A. Toffalini, V. Tonelli, J. Manso, C. Sabbadin, F. Galuppini, G. Pennelli, I. Piva, S. Barollo, L. Bertazza, V. Pilotto, D. Basso, B. Fabris, S. Bernardi, F. Farinati, C. Scaroni, C. Mian
Summary: This study investigated whether autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG) and chronic hypergastrinemia are associated with increased calcitonin (Ct) levels. The results showed that high gastrin levels in patients with AAG do not explain hypercalcitonemia, regardless of the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). Therefore, further diagnostic evaluation is necessary to rule out medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in patients with high Ct levels and AAG.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Simone Caprioli, Giorgio-Gregory Giordano, Alessia Pennacchi, Valentina Campagnari, Andrea Iandelli, Giampiero Parrinello, Cristina Conforti, Riccardo Gili, Edoardo Giannini, Elisa Marabotto, Stefano Kayali, Bernardo Bianchi, Giorgio Peretti, Giuseppe Cittadini, Filippo Marchi
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of high-frequency intraoral ultrasonography (IOUS) in predicting histological risk factors in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The results show excellent agreement between ultrasonographic and pathological measurements of depth of invasion (DOI), and a significant association between ultrasonographic morphology and adverse histopathological factors. IOUS demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in predicting Brandwein-Gensler score.
Editorial Material
Oncology
Stefano Kayali, Elisa Marabotto, Edoardo Giannini
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Elisa Pinto, Filippo Pelizzaro, Fabio Farinati, Francesco Paolo Russo
Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common liver malignancy, and angiogenesis plays a crucial role in its development and progression. Deregulated angiogenic pathways have been identified as therapeutic targets in HCC. Locoregional and systemic treatments aim to disrupt tumor blood supply, but this may induce neoangiogenesis and tumor recurrence. Currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies primarily target angiogenic pathways for HCC treatment.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Aron Emmi, Michele Sandre, Francesco Paolo Russo, Giulia Tombesi, Federica Garri, Marta Campagnolo, Miryam Carecchio, Roberta Biundo, Gaya Spolverato, Veronica Macchi, Edoardo Savarino, Fabio Farinati, Piero Parchi, Andrea Porzionato, Luigi Bubacco, Raffaele De Caro, Gabor G. Kovacs, Angelo Antonini
Summary: This study investigated the alterations of alpha-synuclein and glial responses in duodenum biopsies of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The findings provide evidence of synuclein pathology and gliosis in the duodenum of PD patients, including early cases, suggesting the important role of the gut in PD pathogenesis.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
(2023)