ArticleTherapeutic advances in gastroenterology2025
Dynamic changes in serum alpha-fetoprotein predict prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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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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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Sequential surgery following conversion therapy based on combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and antiangiogenic targeted drugs as a potential approach for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: a prospective study.Journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2026Article
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4 authors.
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Abstract
Background: The impact of dynamic changes in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial. Objectives: This review aims to clarify the prognostic value of dynamic changes in AFP levels in patients with HCC treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Data sources and methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched to collect eligible studies published up to July 29, 2024. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score was used to assess the quality of included studies, and Stata 15.1 statistical software was used for statistical analysis. Results: This review included 23 studies involving 2860 patients with HCC. Following treatment with ICIs, a dynamic decrease in AFP levels was significantly associated with improved overall survival (OS; hazard ratio (HR) 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.48) and progression-free survival (PFS; HR 0.39, 95% CI, 0.34-0.45). Conversely, dynamically increased AFP levels were linked to poorer OS (HR 2.34, 95% CI, 1.69-3.23) and PFS (HR 2.62, 95% CI, 1.92-3.56). Subgroup analyses revealed that while the association with OS was influenced by factors such as treatment regimen and sample size, the prognostic value of AFP changes for PFS appeared more consistent across various subgroups. Conclusion: This review demonstrates that dynamic changes in AFP levels are significantly associated with OS and PFS in HCC patients treated with ICIs, particularly in those receiving combination ICI regimens. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42024599795.
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