Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined with Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab or Lenvatinib for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matched Study

PURPOSE: Combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and Lenvatinib (LEN) treatment (LEN-TACE) has been shown to be beneficial. We aimed to evaluate retrospectively Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev)-TACE compared with LEN-TACE as a first-line therapy for unresectable HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From October 2020 to October 2022, data from 98 consecutive HCC patients were analyzed. After propensity score matching, two cohorts of 34 patients who received either Atezo/Bev-TACE or LEN-TACE were studied. We compared overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response, objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) based on RECIST 1.1 and mRECIST, as well as safety outcome between the two cohorts. RESULTS: The 6-month and 12-month OS rates were 85.3% (95% CI 73.5–97.0) and 75.4% (95% CI 53.6–85.7) in the Atezo/Bev-TACE group, and 88.2% (95% CI 76.5–97.1) and 79.2% (95% CI 63.6–90.9) in the LEN-TACE group, respectively. The hazard ratio for death in the Atezo/Bev-TACE group compared to the LEN-TACE group was 1.09 (95% CI 0.47–2.51; P = 0.837). The median PFS was 7.03 months (95% CI 3.89–10.17) in the Atezo/Bev-TACE group and 6.03 months (95% CI 0–14.14) in the LEN-TACE group (HR 1.21; 95% CI 0.66–2.21; P = 0.545). No significant difference in ORR and DCR between the two groups was observed either according to RECIST 1.1 or mRECIST standards. Incidence rates of hand-foot skin reaction (35.3% vs 5.9%, P = 0.003) and proteinuria (17.9% vs 2.9%, P = 0.046) were significantly higher in the LEN-TACE group. CONCLUSION: Atezo/Bev-TACE and LEN-TACE showed comparable efficacy and safety as first-line therapies for unresectable HCC patients.