Hospitals across the United States are beginning to fill up with COVID-19 patients again, but a smaller proportion of cases are severe enough to move to intensive care or require mechanical ventilation.

So far, hospitalizations caused by the Omicron variant appear to be milder than in previous waves.

“We are seeing an increase in the number of hospitalizations,” Rahul Sharma, MD, emergency physician-in-chief for New York–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine, told the New York Times.

“We’re not sending as many patients to the ICU, we’re not intubating as many patients, and actually, most of our patients that are coming to the emergency department that do test positive are actually being discharged,” he said.

Most Omicron patients in ICUs are unvaccinated or have severely compromised immune systems, doctors told the newspaper.

Currently, about 113,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the country, according to the latest data from the Department of Health & Human Services. About 76% of inpatient beds are in use nationwide, with about 16% of inpatient beds in use for COVID-19.

Early data suggests that the Omicron variant may cause less severe disease. But it’s easier to catch the variant, so more people are getting the virus, including people who have some immunity through prior infection or vaccination, which is driving up hospitalization numbers.

In New York, for instance, COVID-19 hospitalizations have surpassed the peak of last winter’s surge, the newspaper reported. In addition, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4, noting that the state had more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than at any other time during the pandemic.

“We’re in truly crushed mode,” Gabe Kelen, MD, chair of the department of emergency medicine for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, told the Times.

Earlier in the pandemic, hospitals faced challenges with stockpiling ventilators and personal protective equipment, doctors told the newspaper. Now they’re dealing with limits on hospital beds and staffing as health care workers test positive. The increase in COVID-19 cases has also come along with a rise in hospitalizations for other conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

In response, some hospitals are considering cutting elective surgeries because of staff shortages and limited bed capacity, the newspaper reported. In the meantime, hospital staff and administrators are watching case numbers to see how high hospitalizations may soar because of the Omicron variant.

“How high will it go? Can’t tell you. Don’t know,” James Musser, MD, chair of pathology and genomic medicine at Houston Methodist, told the Times. “We’re all watching it, obviously, very, very closely.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Hospitals across the United States are beginning to fill up with COVID-19 patients again, but a smaller proportion of cases are severe enough to move to intensive care or require mechanical ventilation.

So far, hospitalizations caused by the Omicron variant appear to be milder than in previous waves.

“We are seeing an increase in the number of hospitalizations,” Rahul Sharma, MD, emergency physician-in-chief for New York–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine, told the New York Times.

“We’re not sending as many patients to the ICU, we’re not intubating as many patients, and actually, most of our patients that are coming to the emergency department that do test positive are actually being discharged,” he said.

Most Omicron patients in ICUs are unvaccinated or have severely compromised immune systems, doctors told the newspaper.

Currently, about 113,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the country, according to the latest data from the Department of Health & Human Services. About 76% of inpatient beds are in use nationwide, with about 16% of inpatient beds in use for COVID-19.

Early data suggests that the Omicron variant may cause less severe disease. But it’s easier to catch the variant, so more people are getting the virus, including people who have some immunity through prior infection or vaccination, which is driving up hospitalization numbers.

In New York, for instance, COVID-19 hospitalizations have surpassed the peak of last winter’s surge, the newspaper reported. In addition, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4, noting that the state had more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than at any other time during the pandemic.

“We’re in truly crushed mode,” Gabe Kelen, MD, chair of the department of emergency medicine for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, told the Times.

Earlier in the pandemic, hospitals faced challenges with stockpiling ventilators and personal protective equipment, doctors told the newspaper. Now they’re dealing with limits on hospital beds and staffing as health care workers test positive. The increase in COVID-19 cases has also come along with a rise in hospitalizations for other conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

In response, some hospitals are considering cutting elective surgeries because of staff shortages and limited bed capacity, the newspaper reported. In the meantime, hospital staff and administrators are watching case numbers to see how high hospitalizations may soar because of the Omicron variant.

“How high will it go? Can’t tell you. Don’t know,” James Musser, MD, chair of pathology and genomic medicine at Houston Methodist, told the Times. “We’re all watching it, obviously, very, very closely.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Hospitals across the United States are beginning to fill up with COVID-19 patients again, but a smaller proportion of cases are severe enough to move to intensive care or require mechanical ventilation.

So far, hospitalizations caused by the Omicron variant appear to be milder than in previous waves.

“We are seeing an increase in the number of hospitalizations,” Rahul Sharma, MD, emergency physician-in-chief for New York–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine, told the New York Times.

“We’re not sending as many patients to the ICU, we’re not intubating as many patients, and actually, most of our patients that are coming to the emergency department that do test positive are actually being discharged,” he said.

Most Omicron patients in ICUs are unvaccinated or have severely compromised immune systems, doctors told the newspaper.

Currently, about 113,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the country, according to the latest data from the Department of Health & Human Services. About 76% of inpatient beds are in use nationwide, with about 16% of inpatient beds in use for COVID-19.

Early data suggests that the Omicron variant may cause less severe disease. But it’s easier to catch the variant, so more people are getting the virus, including people who have some immunity through prior infection or vaccination, which is driving up hospitalization numbers.

In New York, for instance, COVID-19 hospitalizations have surpassed the peak of last winter’s surge, the newspaper reported. In addition, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4, noting that the state had more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than at any other time during the pandemic.

“We’re in truly crushed mode,” Gabe Kelen, MD, chair of the department of emergency medicine for the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, told the Times.

Earlier in the pandemic, hospitals faced challenges with stockpiling ventilators and personal protective equipment, doctors told the newspaper. Now they’re dealing with limits on hospital beds and staffing as health care workers test positive. The increase in COVID-19 cases has also come along with a rise in hospitalizations for other conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

In response, some hospitals are considering cutting elective surgeries because of staff shortages and limited bed capacity, the newspaper reported. In the meantime, hospital staff and administrators are watching case numbers to see how high hospitalizations may soar because of the Omicron variant.

“How high will it go? Can’t tell you. Don’t know,” James Musser, MD, chair of pathology and genomic medicine at Houston Methodist, told the Times. “We’re all watching it, obviously, very, very closely.”

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Key clinical point: Among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent liver transplantation (LT), a treatment regimen consisting of sirolimus- or everolimus-based immunosuppression prolonged survival compared with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi)-free immunosuppression.

Major finding: Improvement in overall survival was observed with mTORi-based vs mTORi-free immunosuppression in both randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 1 year: relative risk [RR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; 5 years: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.26) and cohort studies (1 year: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.06-1.20; 5 years: RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 17 studies (RCTs, 3; cohort studies, 14) including adult patients undergoing LT for HCC who received mTORi-based or mTORi-free immunosuppression.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. No conflict of interests was reported.

Source: Yan X et al. Liver Transpl. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1002/lt.26387.

Key clinical point: Among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent liver transplantation (LT), a treatment regimen consisting of sirolimus- or everolimus-based immunosuppression prolonged survival compared with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi)-free immunosuppression.

Major finding: Improvement in overall survival was observed with mTORi-based vs mTORi-free immunosuppression in both randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 1 year: relative risk [RR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; 5 years: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.26) and cohort studies (1 year: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.06-1.20; 5 years: RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 17 studies (RCTs, 3; cohort studies, 14) including adult patients undergoing LT for HCC who received mTORi-based or mTORi-free immunosuppression.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. No conflict of interests was reported.

Source: Yan X et al. Liver Transpl. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1002/lt.26387.

Key clinical point: Among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent liver transplantation (LT), a treatment regimen consisting of sirolimus- or everolimus-based immunosuppression prolonged survival compared with mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi)-free immunosuppression.

Major finding: Improvement in overall survival was observed with mTORi-based vs mTORi-free immunosuppression in both randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 1 year: relative risk [RR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; 5 years: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.26) and cohort studies (1 year: RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.06-1.20; 5 years: RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 17 studies (RCTs, 3; cohort studies, 14) including adult patients undergoing LT for HCC who received mTORi-based or mTORi-free immunosuppression.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. No conflict of interests was reported.

Source: Yan X et al. Liver Transpl. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1002/lt.26387.

Key clinical point: The presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic syndrome (MS) did not affect the long-term oncological outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with multibipolar percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Major finding: Neither NAFLD-HCC nor MS was associated with overall tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; P = .536 and HR, 0.99; P = .965, respectively) or overall survival (HR, 1.19; P = .45 and HR, 0.99; P = .980, respectively).

Study details: This multicenter retrospective study included 520 adult patients with HCC who underwent first-line multibipolar percutaneous RFA treatment.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any specific funding. T Dao, N Ganne-Carrié, and JC Nault reported receiving grants, speaker’s fees, personal fees, or invitations for medical meetings from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Nguyen N et al. Liver Int. 2021 Dec 11. doi: 10.1111/liv.15129.

Key clinical point: The presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic syndrome (MS) did not affect the long-term oncological outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with multibipolar percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Major finding: Neither NAFLD-HCC nor MS was associated with overall tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; P = .536 and HR, 0.99; P = .965, respectively) or overall survival (HR, 1.19; P = .45 and HR, 0.99; P = .980, respectively).

Study details: This multicenter retrospective study included 520 adult patients with HCC who underwent first-line multibipolar percutaneous RFA treatment.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any specific funding. T Dao, N Ganne-Carrié, and JC Nault reported receiving grants, speaker’s fees, personal fees, or invitations for medical meetings from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Nguyen N et al. Liver Int. 2021 Dec 11. doi: 10.1111/liv.15129.

Key clinical point: The presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic syndrome (MS) did not affect the long-term oncological outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with multibipolar percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Major finding: Neither NAFLD-HCC nor MS was associated with overall tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; P = .536 and HR, 0.99; P = .965, respectively) or overall survival (HR, 1.19; P = .45 and HR, 0.99; P = .980, respectively).

Study details: This multicenter retrospective study included 520 adult patients with HCC who underwent first-line multibipolar percutaneous RFA treatment.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any specific funding. T Dao, N Ganne-Carrié, and JC Nault reported receiving grants, speaker’s fees, personal fees, or invitations for medical meetings from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Nguyen N et al. Liver Int. 2021 Dec 11. doi: 10.1111/liv.15129.

Key clinical point: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was associated with prolonged survival and better safety compared with standard care in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: ICIs vs standard care were associated with superior overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; P = .006), progression-free survival (HR, 0.74; P = .03), and overall response rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; P < .001) and lower odds of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events (OR, 0.44; P = .04).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 3 randomized controlled trials (KEYNOTE-240, CheckMate-459, and IMbrave150), including 1,657 patients with unresectable HCC treated with either ICIs (n=985) or standard care (n=672).

Disclosures: No source of funding was identified. The lead author and JPS Vasconcelos received grants and/or personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Jácome AA et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 6. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.36128.

Key clinical point: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was associated with prolonged survival and better safety compared with standard care in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: ICIs vs standard care were associated with superior overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; P = .006), progression-free survival (HR, 0.74; P = .03), and overall response rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; P < .001) and lower odds of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events (OR, 0.44; P = .04).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 3 randomized controlled trials (KEYNOTE-240, CheckMate-459, and IMbrave150), including 1,657 patients with unresectable HCC treated with either ICIs (n=985) or standard care (n=672).

Disclosures: No source of funding was identified. The lead author and JPS Vasconcelos received grants and/or personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Jácome AA et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 6. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.36128.

Key clinical point: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was associated with prolonged survival and better safety compared with standard care in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: ICIs vs standard care were associated with superior overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; P = .006), progression-free survival (HR, 0.74; P = .03), and overall response rate (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; P < .001) and lower odds of grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events (OR, 0.44; P = .04).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 3 randomized controlled trials (KEYNOTE-240, CheckMate-459, and IMbrave150), including 1,657 patients with unresectable HCC treated with either ICIs (n=985) or standard care (n=672).

Disclosures: No source of funding was identified. The lead author and JPS Vasconcelos received grants and/or personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Jácome AA et al. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 6. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.36128.

Key clinical point: The better safety profile of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) together with comparable efficacy makes it a potential therapeutic alternative to surgical resection for large single nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After inverse probability weighting, TARE vs surgical resection achieved similar overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.98; P = .97), time to progression (HR, 1.10; P = .80), and time to intrahepatic progression (HR, 1.45; P = .30), along with a shorter hospital stay (3 days vs 12 days; P < .001) and lower patient proportion experiencing adverse events requiring intervention (0.0% vs 3.2%; P = .39).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective cohort study including 557 adult patients with single nodular HCC measuring ≥5 cm who underwent either surgical resection (n=500) or TARE (n=57) shortly after diagnosis.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. Some of the authors received lecture fees or research grants from various sources.

Source: Kim J et al. J Nucl Med. 2021 Dec 9. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263147.

Key clinical point: The better safety profile of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) together with comparable efficacy makes it a potential therapeutic alternative to surgical resection for large single nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After inverse probability weighting, TARE vs surgical resection achieved similar overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.98; P = .97), time to progression (HR, 1.10; P = .80), and time to intrahepatic progression (HR, 1.45; P = .30), along with a shorter hospital stay (3 days vs 12 days; P < .001) and lower patient proportion experiencing adverse events requiring intervention (0.0% vs 3.2%; P = .39).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective cohort study including 557 adult patients with single nodular HCC measuring ≥5 cm who underwent either surgical resection (n=500) or TARE (n=57) shortly after diagnosis.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. Some of the authors received lecture fees or research grants from various sources.

Source: Kim J et al. J Nucl Med. 2021 Dec 9. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263147.

Key clinical point: The better safety profile of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) together with comparable efficacy makes it a potential therapeutic alternative to surgical resection for large single nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After inverse probability weighting, TARE vs surgical resection achieved similar overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.98; P = .97), time to progression (HR, 1.10; P = .80), and time to intrahepatic progression (HR, 1.45; P = .30), along with a shorter hospital stay (3 days vs 12 days; P < .001) and lower patient proportion experiencing adverse events requiring intervention (0.0% vs 3.2%; P = .39).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective cohort study including 557 adult patients with single nodular HCC measuring ≥5 cm who underwent either surgical resection (n=500) or TARE (n=57) shortly after diagnosis.

Disclosures: The authors reported no source of funding. Some of the authors received lecture fees or research grants from various sources.

Source: Kim J et al. J Nucl Med. 2021 Dec 9. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.121.263147.

Key clinical point: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels during liver transplantation (LT) and their modulation while on the waitlist are predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after LT in patients meeting the Milan criteria.

Main finding: An AFP value >25.5 ng/mL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.69) could strongly predict HCC recurrence after LT (subdistribution hazard ratio, 2.5; P = .01), which also showed a significant association with an increase in AFP levels by >20.8% while on the waitlist (P = .034).

Study details: The data are derived from a retrospective single-center study that analyzed 207 patients with HCC fulfilling the Milan criteria who were put on the waitlist for LT and had AFP levels >400 ng/mL at transplant.

Disclosures: Financial support for the study was provided by the association Friends of transplantation. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Magro B et al. Cancers. 2021 Nov 27. doi: 10.3390/cancers13235976.

Key clinical point: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels during liver transplantation (LT) and their modulation while on the waitlist are predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after LT in patients meeting the Milan criteria.

Main finding: An AFP value >25.5 ng/mL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.69) could strongly predict HCC recurrence after LT (subdistribution hazard ratio, 2.5; P = .01), which also showed a significant association with an increase in AFP levels by >20.8% while on the waitlist (P = .034).

Study details: The data are derived from a retrospective single-center study that analyzed 207 patients with HCC fulfilling the Milan criteria who were put on the waitlist for LT and had AFP levels >400 ng/mL at transplant.

Disclosures: Financial support for the study was provided by the association Friends of transplantation. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Magro B et al. Cancers. 2021 Nov 27. doi: 10.3390/cancers13235976.

Key clinical point: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels during liver transplantation (LT) and their modulation while on the waitlist are predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after LT in patients meeting the Milan criteria.

Main finding: An AFP value >25.5 ng/mL (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.69) could strongly predict HCC recurrence after LT (subdistribution hazard ratio, 2.5; P = .01), which also showed a significant association with an increase in AFP levels by >20.8% while on the waitlist (P = .034).

Study details: The data are derived from a retrospective single-center study that analyzed 207 patients with HCC fulfilling the Milan criteria who were put on the waitlist for LT and had AFP levels >400 ng/mL at transplant.

Disclosures: Financial support for the study was provided by the association Friends of transplantation. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Magro B et al. Cancers. 2021 Nov 27. doi: 10.3390/cancers13235976.

Key clinical point: High diastolic whole blood viscosity (WBV) may serve as a new independent factor associated with extrahepatic metastasis and poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After adjusting for confounding variables, high diastolic WBV was independently associated with extrahepatic metastasis (adjusted odds ratio, 23.41; P < .001) and poor survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.81; P < .001) and significantly predicted extrahepatic metastasis at an optimal cutoff of 16 cP (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.768; P < .001).

Study details: Findings are from a pilot retrospective study including 181 patients with HCC, of which 148 were treatment-naïve having preserved liver function and 33 received nivolumab.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by Young Medical Scientist Research Grant through the Daewoong Foundation and the Research Fund of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. The authors did not declare any conflict of interests.

Source: Han JW et al. PLoS ONE. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260311.

Key clinical point: High diastolic whole blood viscosity (WBV) may serve as a new independent factor associated with extrahepatic metastasis and poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After adjusting for confounding variables, high diastolic WBV was independently associated with extrahepatic metastasis (adjusted odds ratio, 23.41; P < .001) and poor survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.81; P < .001) and significantly predicted extrahepatic metastasis at an optimal cutoff of 16 cP (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.768; P < .001).

Study details: Findings are from a pilot retrospective study including 181 patients with HCC, of which 148 were treatment-naïve having preserved liver function and 33 received nivolumab.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by Young Medical Scientist Research Grant through the Daewoong Foundation and the Research Fund of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. The authors did not declare any conflict of interests.

Source: Han JW et al. PLoS ONE. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260311.

Key clinical point: High diastolic whole blood viscosity (WBV) may serve as a new independent factor associated with extrahepatic metastasis and poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: After adjusting for confounding variables, high diastolic WBV was independently associated with extrahepatic metastasis (adjusted odds ratio, 23.41; P < .001) and poor survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.81; P < .001) and significantly predicted extrahepatic metastasis at an optimal cutoff of 16 cP (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.768; P < .001).

Study details: Findings are from a pilot retrospective study including 181 patients with HCC, of which 148 were treatment-naïve having preserved liver function and 33 received nivolumab.

Disclosures: The study was sponsored by Young Medical Scientist Research Grant through the Daewoong Foundation and the Research Fund of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. The authors did not declare any conflict of interests.

Source: Han JW et al. PLoS ONE. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260311.

Key clinical point: The modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST)-determined radiologic response rate of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiotherapy (RT) among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showing macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI) is an independent prognosticator for overall survival (OS).

Main finding: Responders vs nonresponders had significantly longer median OS at 2 months (23.1 months vs 8.0 months; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.194; P < .001) and 4 months (responders vs nonresponders: 26.5 months vs 9.3 months; aHR, 4.534; P < .001).

Study details: This was a retrospective review study including 427 patients with advanced HCC and MVI who received first-line treatment with TACE plus respiratory-gated 3-dimensional conformal RT in the 2-month analysis, whereas the patient number reduced to 355 in the 4-month analysis.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Asan Institute for Life Sciences of Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Jung J et al. Liver Cancer. 2021 Dec 7. doi: 10.1159/000521227.

Key clinical point: The modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST)-determined radiologic response rate of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiotherapy (RT) among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showing macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI) is an independent prognosticator for overall survival (OS).

Main finding: Responders vs nonresponders had significantly longer median OS at 2 months (23.1 months vs 8.0 months; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.194; P < .001) and 4 months (responders vs nonresponders: 26.5 months vs 9.3 months; aHR, 4.534; P < .001).

Study details: This was a retrospective review study including 427 patients with advanced HCC and MVI who received first-line treatment with TACE plus respiratory-gated 3-dimensional conformal RT in the 2-month analysis, whereas the patient number reduced to 355 in the 4-month analysis.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Asan Institute for Life Sciences of Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Jung J et al. Liver Cancer. 2021 Dec 7. doi: 10.1159/000521227.

Key clinical point: The modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST)-determined radiologic response rate of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiotherapy (RT) among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showing macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI) is an independent prognosticator for overall survival (OS).

Main finding: Responders vs nonresponders had significantly longer median OS at 2 months (23.1 months vs 8.0 months; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.194; P < .001) and 4 months (responders vs nonresponders: 26.5 months vs 9.3 months; aHR, 4.534; P < .001).

Study details: This was a retrospective review study including 427 patients with advanced HCC and MVI who received first-line treatment with TACE plus respiratory-gated 3-dimensional conformal RT in the 2-month analysis, whereas the patient number reduced to 355 in the 4-month analysis.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Asan Institute for Life Sciences of Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Jung J et al. Liver Cancer. 2021 Dec 7. doi: 10.1159/000521227.

Key clinical point: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (HAIC-FO) is better than sorafenib at improving survival in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: At a median follow-up of 17.1 and 19.8 months, HAIC-FO- and sorafenib-treated patients showed a median overall survival (OS) of 13.9 months (95% CI, 10.6-17.2) and 8.2 months (95% CI, 7.5-9.0), respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.408; P = .001), with OS improvements favoring HAIC-FO vs sorafenib in even high-risk patients (10.8 months vs 5.7 months; HR, 0.343; P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent with sorafenib vs HAIC-FO (48.1% vs20.3%).

Study details: The data come from the open-label, phase 3 FOHAIC-1 trial, which included 262 systemic therapy-naive patients with locally advanced or unresectable HCC who were randomly assigned to receive either HAIC-FO (n=130) or sorafenib (n=132).

Disclosures: The National Natural Science Foundation of China sponsored the study. The authors did not report any potential conflict of interests.

Source: Lyu N et al. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Dec 14. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01963.

Key clinical point: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (HAIC-FO) is better than sorafenib at improving survival in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: At a median follow-up of 17.1 and 19.8 months, HAIC-FO- and sorafenib-treated patients showed a median overall survival (OS) of 13.9 months (95% CI, 10.6-17.2) and 8.2 months (95% CI, 7.5-9.0), respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.408; P = .001), with OS improvements favoring HAIC-FO vs sorafenib in even high-risk patients (10.8 months vs 5.7 months; HR, 0.343; P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent with sorafenib vs HAIC-FO (48.1% vs20.3%).

Study details: The data come from the open-label, phase 3 FOHAIC-1 trial, which included 262 systemic therapy-naive patients with locally advanced or unresectable HCC who were randomly assigned to receive either HAIC-FO (n=130) or sorafenib (n=132).

Disclosures: The National Natural Science Foundation of China sponsored the study. The authors did not report any potential conflict of interests.

Source: Lyu N et al. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Dec 14. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01963.

Key clinical point: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (HAIC-FO) is better than sorafenib at improving survival in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Main finding: At a median follow-up of 17.1 and 19.8 months, HAIC-FO- and sorafenib-treated patients showed a median overall survival (OS) of 13.9 months (95% CI, 10.6-17.2) and 8.2 months (95% CI, 7.5-9.0), respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.408; P = .001), with OS improvements favoring HAIC-FO vs sorafenib in even high-risk patients (10.8 months vs 5.7 months; HR, 0.343; P < .001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent with sorafenib vs HAIC-FO (48.1% vs20.3%).

Study details: The data come from the open-label, phase 3 FOHAIC-1 trial, which included 262 systemic therapy-naive patients with locally advanced or unresectable HCC who were randomly assigned to receive either HAIC-FO (n=130) or sorafenib (n=132).

Disclosures: The National Natural Science Foundation of China sponsored the study. The authors did not report any potential conflict of interests.

Source: Lyu N et al. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Dec 14. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01963.

Key clinical point: Longer follow-up results confirm the survival benefits and consistent safety of first-line atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: After a 15.6-month median follow-up, the median overall survival (19.2 months vs 13.4 months; stratified hazard ratio [HR] for death, 0.66; P < .001) and progression-free survival (6.9 months vs 4.3 months; HR for death/progression, 0.65; P < .001) were higher with atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib. Treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 43% vs 46% of patients receiving atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib.

Study details: Findings are from a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial including 501 treatment-naïve patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable HCC. Patients were randomly assigned to atezolizumab + bevacizumab or sorafenib.

Disclosures: This study was funded by F. Hoffman-La Roche (FHLR)/Genentech. All investigators reported receiving financial or nonfinancial support, providing expert testimony, being an employee of, or holding shares/stocks in various pharmaceutical companies including FHLR/Genentech.

Source: Cheng AL et al. J Hepatol. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.11.030.

Key clinical point: Longer follow-up results confirm the survival benefits and consistent safety of first-line atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: After a 15.6-month median follow-up, the median overall survival (19.2 months vs 13.4 months; stratified hazard ratio [HR] for death, 0.66; P < .001) and progression-free survival (6.9 months vs 4.3 months; HR for death/progression, 0.65; P < .001) were higher with atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib. Treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 43% vs 46% of patients receiving atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib.

Study details: Findings are from a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial including 501 treatment-naïve patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable HCC. Patients were randomly assigned to atezolizumab + bevacizumab or sorafenib.

Disclosures: This study was funded by F. Hoffman-La Roche (FHLR)/Genentech. All investigators reported receiving financial or nonfinancial support, providing expert testimony, being an employee of, or holding shares/stocks in various pharmaceutical companies including FHLR/Genentech.

Source: Cheng AL et al. J Hepatol. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.11.030.

Key clinical point: Longer follow-up results confirm the survival benefits and consistent safety of first-line atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Major finding: After a 15.6-month median follow-up, the median overall survival (19.2 months vs 13.4 months; stratified hazard ratio [HR] for death, 0.66; P < .001) and progression-free survival (6.9 months vs 4.3 months; HR for death/progression, 0.65; P < .001) were higher with atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib. Treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 43% vs 46% of patients receiving atezolizumab + bevacizumab vs sorafenib.

Study details: Findings are from a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 IMbrave150 trial including 501 treatment-naïve patients with locally advanced or metastatic and/or unresectable HCC. Patients were randomly assigned to atezolizumab + bevacizumab or sorafenib.

Disclosures: This study was funded by F. Hoffman-La Roche (FHLR)/Genentech. All investigators reported receiving financial or nonfinancial support, providing expert testimony, being an employee of, or holding shares/stocks in various pharmaceutical companies including FHLR/Genentech.

Source: Cheng AL et al. J Hepatol. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.11.030.