Therapeutic Effect of Apatinib in First-line Treatment of Advanced Liver Cancer

Objective To explore the effect of apatinib in first-line treatment of advanced liver cancer.

Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on 35 patients with advanced liver cancer treated in our department from July 2017 to January 2020. All patients were given apatinib mesylate tablet 250-500 mg orally with QD. The patients with effective disease control (including CR, PR and SD) were given administration until PD or intolerance or death occurred. The primary endpoints were PFS and OS, and the secondary endpoints were DCR and ORR. The side effect was observed.

Results There was one case of CR, 17 cases of PR and 11 cases of SD. The ORR and DCR were 51.43% and 82.86%. The median PFS and OS were 9.7 and 11.1 months. The main adverse reactions included hand-foot syndrome, hypertension, proteinuria, etc. Most grade 3-5 adverse reactions were reversible with good safety.

Conclusion Apatinib can significantly improve the clinical benefits of liver cancer patients. It is an alternative first-line treatment for advanced liver cancer.