Analysis of clinical efficacy and long-term prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with PD-L1 inhibitor targeting

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The most effective clinical treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is surgery, but most patients are diagnosed when the disease has progressed.

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the long-term prognosis and clinical effectiveness of PD-L1 inhibitor-targeted therapy for patients suffering from HCC.

METHODS:

Ninety-six patients with advanced HCC who were admitted to our hospital between December 2019 and April 2022 were split into two groups based on the treatment plan after a retrospective analysis: 43 patients in the control group underwent sorafenib-based targeted therapy, while dulvalizumab was used to treat 53 patients in the observation group. Observation indexes were used to assess the clinical effectiveness and long-term prognosis of HCC patients receiving targeted therapy with dulvalizumab, which included the disease control rate, tumor markers, immune function, survival, quality of survival, and the occurrence of unfavorable side effects such as thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, vomiting, and rash.

RESULTS:

The initial KPS scores, CEA, CA199, AFP, CD3 $+$ , CD4 $+$ , CD4 $+$ /CD8 $+$ , IgG, IgM, and IgA levels did not differ significantly between the two groups ( $P>$ 0.05). After treatment, the observation group showed a significantly higher disease control rate (92.45% vs. 74.42%) and improved KPS score, OS, PFS, CD3 $+$ , CD4 $+$ , CD4 $+$ /CD8 $+$ , IgG, IgM, and IgA levels compared to the control group. Additionally, the observation group exhibited significantly reduced CEA, CA199, and AFP levels, and a lower overall incidence of adverse reactions (16.98% vs. 51.16%) compared to the control group ( $P<$ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

The clinical efficacy of dulvalizumab-targeted treatment of HCC among PD-L1 inhibitors is better, enhancing the disease’s ability to be controlled considerably lowering patients’ levels of tumor markers. This greatly boosts patients’ immune systems, extends their lives and improves the quality of their survival. The frequency of negative reactions is minimal and safe.