Unmet needs around HCC prognosis & treatment
Progress has been made in 1L systemic treatment of HCC in recent years
*The use of this product has EMA authorisation and funding conditions from the HNS. †The TECENTRIQ® indication in combination with bevacizumab is funded by the HNS for the treatment of adult patients with advanced or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who have not received prior systemic therapy, with liver function (Child-Pugh stage A), an ECOG score of 0 or 1, in the absence of untreated or undertreated oesophagogastric varices and in the absence of autoimmune diseases. ‡The reflected information refers to the Avastin® data sheet; in case of administering another bevacizumab, the corresponding data sheet should be consulted. §In China only. ‖The use of this product has EMA authorisation but is pending for obtaining funding conditions from HNS. ¶Does not currently have EMA authorisation. This figure contains research data from products without EMA authorisation, with the only purpose of medical education. SEARCH study: sorafenib + erlotinib vs sorafenib + placebo. Trials in bold supported an approval.
Despite advances in treatment options, the global incidence and mortality of HCC continue to rise
HCC is a global disease that affects 1.5 billion people worldwide15
| 20% of people with liver cancer are alive at 5 years following diagnosis16 | This estimate significantly drops to 3% of people alive at 5 years for advanced liver cancer16 |
Adjuvant therapy could help reduce the risk of recurrence after curative surgery or ablation
The recurrence rate remains as high as 70% within 5 years after curative surgery or ablation.17 In this scenario, adjuvant therapy is essential to improve the prognosis of curative treatments for HCC18,19
Although most patients are not amenable to curative therapies because they are diagnosed at an advanced tumour stage or complicated with advanced liver disease, curative treatment is available and represents the first choice for HCC19
Clinical studies of adjuvant therapies conducted to date, investigating vitamin K, retinoids and sorafenib, did not yield the expected positive outcomes20
Phase III research is ongoing. There are currently 4 global Phase 3 trials ongoing for adjuvant HCC:21-24
Adjuvant treatments could help reduce the risk of recurrence after curative surgery or ablation and improve patient outcomes21-24
Limited access to MDT and personalised care significantly hinder the prognosis, management and treatment of patients with HCC
HCC is characterised by a high degree of heterogeneity accompanied by the underlying CLD, making no single provider equipped to deal with all the patients’ needs adequately25,26
Limited access to:
MDT care
Multiple studies have shown that the lack of an MDT can significantly impact stage at diagnosis, referral patterns, the selection of treatment and survival for patients with HCC27-30
Personalised care
Selection of treatment-based biomarkers is still far away from its clinical applicability in the clinical decision-making processes31
Treatment success is hindered by health disparities, inequalities to treatment access and curative options
Disparities in the treatment of HCC are often related to sex, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status32
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Recent data suggest that women are more likely to undergo liver resection or liver ablation and less likely to undergo liver transplantation compared with men33,34 |
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Hispanic patients are less likely to receive HCC-directed, curative therapy at BCLC stage 0/A HCC;35 in addition these group of patients are less likely to receive liver resection and liver ablation36 |
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HCC has been shown to disproportionately affect individuals of low socioeconomic status, with lower observed surveillance and survival rates in those with the lowest income37,38 |
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References
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