ArticleBMC cancer2023
Real-world comparison of pembrolizumab and nivolumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
Article in BMC cancer, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2025Pooled it
- Indirect Comparison of the Efficacy of Pembrolizumab Versus Nivolumab as Adjuvant Options for Stage IIB/IIC Melanoma.Targeted oncology · 2026Article
- Article
- Article
- Navigating the Labyrinth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Leveraging AI/ML for Precision Oncology.Oncology research · 2026Review
- The immune microenvironment of pathogen-associated cancers and current clinical therapeutics.Molecular cancer · 2025Review
- The Application and Molecular Mechanisms of Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidants in Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiac Injury.Current issues in molecular biology · 2025Review
- FOLFOX-HAIC combined with PD-1 inhibitor immunotherapy significantly improves survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.American journal of translational research · 2025Article
- Examining the Efficacy and Safety of Combined Locoregional Therapy and Immunotherapy in Treating Hepatocellular Carcinoma.Biomedicines · 2024Review
- Metastatic patterns and treatment options for head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (Review).Molecular and clinical oncology · 2024Review
- New Opportunities in the Systemic Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Today and Tomorrow.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Editorial: New insights into cancer immunology of refractory GU and liver tumors: therapy and mechanism.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Article
- Associations of circulating immunomarkers with the efficacy of immunotherapy for primary hepatic carcinoma.Cancer medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundNivolumab and pembrolizumab have not been directly compared in clinical trials, and the aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of nivolumab versus pembrolizumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in real-world practice.
methodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients with HCC who received intravenous nivolumab or pembrolizumab alone as second-line and later therapy. The objective response was determined according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria version 1.1. Adverse events (AEs) were graded based on the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Prognostic values were estimated using hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
resultsIn total, 120 patients were enrolled, including 95 who received nivolumab and 25 who received pembrolizumab. All patients were staged as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C, and 29 patients were classified as Child-Pugh classification B (7). The response rate of the pembrolizumab and nivolumab groups were 8.0% and 7.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the median PFS between the pembrolizumab and nivolumab groups (2.7 months versus 2.9 months). The median OS in the nivolumab group was longer than that in the pembrolizumab group (10.8 months versus 8.1 months); however, the difference was not statistically significant. The effects of pembrolizumab and nivolumab on the median PFS and OS were consistent across the subgroups based on baseline characteristics. The severity of all AEs was grades 1-2 without treatment interruption or dose adjustment; there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related AEs between these two groups. Additionally, the percentage of patients receiving subsequent therapy was consistent between the two groups.
conclusionThe efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab and nivolumab were comparable in the management of patients with pretreated HCC in real-world practice.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.