Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41694651›Full record

ArticleLiver cancer2026

Surrogate Endpoints for Overall Survival in Advanced Hepatocelluar Carcinoma in the Era of Immunotherapy: A Trial Level Meta-Analysis.

Yacob Saleh, Zeynep Baskurt, Abdul Rehman Farooq, Rachel Goodwin, Jennifer Knox, Grainne O'Kane, Eric Xueyu Chen

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Liver cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Yacob SalehDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Zeynep BaskurtDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Abdul Rehman FarooqDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Rachel GoodwinDivision of Medical Oncology, Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Jennifer KnoxDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Grainne O'KaneDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Eric Xueyu ChenDepartment of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Systemic therapy containing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become the standard of care for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A prior analysis from the pre-ICI era demonstrated a moderate correlation between progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We performed a literature-based meta-analysis to include randomized phase III trials (RCTs) of ICIs to evaluate surrogate endpoints for OS in advanced HCC. Methods: RCTs evaluating systemic therapies in advanced HCC published/presented between 2007 and 2024 were identified through a systemic literature search. Hazard ratios (HRs) for OS and PFS were extracted. The change in the overall response rates (ΔORR) was calculated as the difference between experimental and control arms. Pearson correlation and mixed-effects meta-regression analyses were performed. Strength of correlation was determined using the criteria from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWIG). Surrogate threshold effect (STE) was determined for each comparison when possible. Subgroup analysis was performed. A Results: In total, 21 1st-line and 12 2nd-line RCTs were included. Of 1st-line RCTs, 48% evaluated ICIs either alone or in combination. There was a weak correlation between HR-PFS and HR-OS ( Conclusion: The correlation between HR-PFS and HR-OS is weak in 1st-line RCTs in advanced HCC where OS remains the most appropriate endpoint. There is a strong association between HR-PFS and HR-OS for 2nd-line RCTs, suggesting that PFS is a suitable surrogate endpoint in that setting.

Indexed as

Hepatocellular carcinomaOverall response rateOverall survivalProgression-free survival

Identifiers

PMID41694651
PMCPMC12904667

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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.