JoVE - Journal of Visualized Experiments
JoVE Visualize
Contact Us

Usefulness of the Early Increase of Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Count in Predicting Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Durvalumab Plus Tremelimumab

  • 0Third Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan.
Cancers +

|

April 26, 2025

|

April 26, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

An early increase in peripheral lymphocyte count predicts better outcomes for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab (Dur/Tre) therapy. This finding aids in predicting treatment response and prognosis for HCC.

Area Of Science

  • Hepatobiliary Cancers
  • Immunotherapy
  • Clinical Biomarkers

Background

  • Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses significant treatment challenges.
  • Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab (Dur/Tre) is a promising therapy for advanced HCC.
  • Predictors for Dur/Tre therapy response and prognosis in HCC remain underexplored.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To retrospectively identify predictors of clinical response and prognosis for Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab (Dur/Tre) therapy in advanced HCC.
  • To evaluate the association between initial changes in peripheral lymphocyte count and treatment outcomes.

Main Methods

  • Retrospective single-center study of 30 advanced HCC patients treated with Dur/Tre.
  • Analysis of factors predicting objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).
  • Focus on the change in peripheral lymphocyte count (Δlymphocyte) at 2 weeks post-treatment initiation.

Main Results

  • The objective response rate (ORR) was 30.0% and disease control rate (DCR) was 53.3%.
  • A high Δlymphocyte (increase > +245/µL) independently predicted a better objective response (p=0.016).
  • High Δlymphocyte was an independent predictor for improved PFS (HR 0.308, p=0.049), with significantly longer median PFS (not reached vs. 1.96 months, p=0.003).

Conclusions

  • Early increase in peripheral lymphocyte count serves as a useful predictive biomarker for Dur/Tre therapy in advanced HCC.
  • Monitoring lymphocyte count changes can help anticipate treatment efficacy and patient prognosis.
  • This finding supports personalized treatment strategies in advanced HCC management.

Keywords: