Triple combination of HAIC-FO plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

by Zhongbao Tan, Jian Zhang, Lan Xu, Huanjing Wang, Xuequn Mao, Rong Zou, Qingqing Wang, Zhuang Han, Zhenhai Di, Daguang Wu

The triple combination of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is expected to have a synergistic anticancer effect in HCC. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the triple combination treatment in advanced HCC patients.

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science databases were systematically searched for relevant studies from the inception of each database to May 10, 2023. All articles focusing the triple combination treatment of HAIC-FO plus TKI and ICIs for advanced HCC were eligible. The meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for case series and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cohort studies. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). The secondary results were adverse events. Further meta-analysis of control studies demonstrated the superiority of the triple combination modality to TKI plus ICIs, and TKI alone.

Nine articles (four cohort studies and five one-arm studies) involving 777 advanced HCC patients were included in this meta-analysis. In terms of survival analysis, the pooled median PFS was 11 months (95% CI: 10.1–12.0 months) with low heterogeneity (I² = 0%, p = 0.97). With regard to tumor response, the pooled ORR and DCR was 61.6% (I²=0%, p = 0.71) and 87.9% (I² = 13%, p = 0.33) with low heterogeneity, respectively. As compared with TKIs plus ICIs, and TKIs alone, the triple combination thrapy was associated with improved median OS (HR=0.51, 95%CI 0.41-0.62) with low heterogeneity across studies (I² = 0%, p = 0.47), median PFS (HR=0.51, 95%CI 0.41-0.64) with low heterogeneity across studies (I² = 0%, p = 0.41), ORR (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.42–0.74) with high heterogeneity across studies (I² = 69%, p = 0.02), and DCR (RR = 0.38, 95%CI 0.27–0.54) with low heterogeneity across studies (I² = 14%, p = 0.32). The most common 3/4 AEs were elevated ALT and AST, thrombocytopenia, hypertension, nausea and vomiting in this meta-analysis.

The triple combination therapy of HAIC-FO plus TKI and ICIs showed promising efficacy and safety in patients with advanced HCC.

The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID:CRD42023424281).