Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41146031›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2025

Comparative efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with antiangiogenic agents for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Child-Pugh A versus B cirrhosis: a single-center, retrospective study.

Dan Liu, Zirong Yang, Lilin Wang, Lina Ma, Wei Hou, Shan Ren, Sujun Zheng, Junfeng Lu

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Dan LiuHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Zirong YangThe First Clinical Medical School, Shandong Second Medical University, Fuyanshan Campus of Shandong Second Medical University, No. 7166 Baotong West Street, Weifang City, Shandong Province, China.
Lilin WangHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Lina MaHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Wei HouHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Shan RenHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Sujun ZhengHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai,, Fengtai District, Beijing, China. zhengsujun@ccmu.edu.cn.
Junfeng LuHepatology Center Department 1, Beijing You 'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Hepatology, No. 8 Xitoutiao, Youanmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, China. junfengdoc@ccmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Beijing Natural Science Foundation 7232080Capital Clinical Diagnostic Techniques and Translational Application Projects Z221100007422063Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research 2022-1-2172Young Investigator Grant in Beijing You 'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University BJYAYY-YN2024-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with antiangiogenic agents (AAs) have been recommended as the first-line systemic treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, most Phase III clinical trials have excluded patients with Child-Pugh B (CP B) cirrhosis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ICIs combined with AAs in uHCC patients with CP B cirrhosis and compare the outcomes with those in patients with Child-Pugh A (CP A) cirrhosis.

methodsThe uHCC patients who received ICIs plus AAs between September 2020 and November 2024 at Beijing You 'an Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor response and treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) were compared between the patients with CP A and CP B cirrhosis to assess the efficacy and safety of the treatment.

resultsA total of 94 patients were included in the study, including 63 patients with CP A cirrhosis and 31 with CP B cirrhosis. For the entire cohort, the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median progression-free survival (mPFS) and median overall survival (mOS) were 44.7%, 72.3%, 6.3 months, and 28.3 months. The four indicators mentioned above were 50.8% vs. 32.3% (P = 0.089), 76.2% vs. 64.5% (P = 0.234), 6.6 months vs. 5.8 months (P = 0.524) and 39.2 months vs. 15.9 months (P = 0.035) in the CP A group and CP B group, respectively, with only mOS showing a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score (ECOG PS) 2, prior treatment and non-simultaneous locoregional therapies (LRTs) were identified as independent predictors of worse ORR. The CP B and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C/D were identified as independent predictors of poorer OS. A total of 93.6% of patients experienced at least one TRAE of any grade, with 27.7% experiencing grade ≥ 3 TRAEs. The incidence and severity of TRAEs were similar between the patients with CP A and CP B cirrhosis. Additionally, Child-Pugh score improved in 32.3% of patients with CP B cirrhosis after systemic treatment.

conclusionThe combination of ICIs and AAs showed favorable clinical benefits, safety and tolerability in uHCC patients with CP B cirrhosis, with some patients experiencing improvements in Child-Pugh score. More well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to further determine the efficacy and safety of systemic therapy in this population.

Indexed as

Angiogenesis InhibitorsAntineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCarcinoma, HepatocellularImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsLiver CirrhosisLiver NeoplasmsAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeAngiogenesis InhibitorsImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsAntiangiogenic agentEfficacyHepatocellular carcinomaImmune checkpoint inhibitorSafety

Identifiers

PMID41146031
PMCPMC12560343

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.